Power Supply Crisis | Can't Function On A Day's Backup: Delhi Govt Minister Satyendar Jain

Satyendar Jain had held an emergency meeting to assess the power crisis situation and wrote to the Centre requesting it to ensure adequate coal availability to power plants.

Delhi Power Minister Satyendar Jain addressing media on power crisis in national capital.

Source : ANI

New Delhi: The Delhi government on Friday said that at many power plants, less than a day's coal is left after it warned of a possible setback in providing uninterrupted electricity supply to important services in the national capital, including Metro trains and hospitals.

"If electricity is being produced, and we keep getting it, there's no issue. But if the power plant shuts down it will be problematic (in Delhi)... There's a coal shortage in the country, should have 21-day coal backup, but at many power plants coal is left for less than a day," Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain said, as quoted by news agency ANI.

Amid a deepening crisis in coal shortage, Power Minister Satyendar Jain said: "Electricity is generated daily and if electricity is generated from coal then there should be a backup of coal stock sufficient for more than 21 days' supply in normal conditions. Today, there is less than one day of coal stock left in many plants. Can't function on a day's backup."

#WATCH | No (power) back up... back up should be that of coal of over 21 days, but at many power plants, less than a day's coal left. Can't function on a day's back up...: Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain on looming power crisis pic.twitter.com/66FpnOeWDe

— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2022

According to him, the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Dadri and NTPC Unchahar have about one day of coal stock left.

Delhi Power Crisis

Previously, the Delhi government Thursday warned of a possible setback in providing an uninterrupted electricity supply to important services, including Metro trains and hospitals.

Satyendar Jain had held an emergency meeting to assess the situation and wrote to the Centre requesting it to ensure adequate coal availability to power plants that supply electricity to the national capital.

"Due to disruption of power supply from Dadri-II and Unchahar power stations, there may be a problem in 24-hours power supply to many essential institutions, including Delhi Metro and Delhi government hospitals," a government statement mentioned on Thursday, as quoted by news agency PTI.

Presently, 25-30 per cent of the electricity demand in Delhi is being met through these power stations, and they face a shortage of coal, the Power Minister stated.

He said the government was monitoring the situation closely and making every possible effort to ensure that people did not face power outages in some areas of the capital.

"These power stations play an important role in preventing blackouts in some parts of Delhi and are also essential to ensure the continuous supply of electricity to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, hospitals and people in the upcoming summer season," the minister said.

According to the Delhi government's statement, the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC)'s Dadri-II and Jhajjar (Aravali) were established primarily to meet the power requirement in Delhi. However, there is very little stock of coal left even in these power plants.

The Dadri-II, Unchahar, Kahalgaon, Farakka, and Jhajjar power plants supply 1,751 megawatt (MW) of electricity per day to Delhi. The capital gets the maximum supply of 728 MW from Dadri-II power station, while it receives 100 MW from the Unchahar station.

According to the daily coal report of the National Power Portal, all these power plants face an acute shortage of coal.

This, along with the sweltering summer, has triggered blackouts across many parts of the country as states struggle to manage the record demand for electricity.

India's peak power demand met or the highest supply in a day touched the all-time high of 204.65 GW on Thursday.

"During the current month of April, 2022 (Up to 28th April, till 14:50 Hours), peak power demand met has increased by 12.1 per cent to 204.653 GW from 182.559 GW during same period previous year," PTI reported a source as saying.

Besides measures to increase coal supplies to power plants, the Union government has asked states to step up their imports for the next three years to build up inventories.

 All India Power Engineers Federation stated that thermal plants across the country are grappling with coal shortage, indicating a looming power crisis in the country.

(With Agency Inputs)