Lack of coal reserves in thermal plants.
India recorded 1,201 million units shortfall in electricity supply in October 2021 – the highest in 5.5 years – due to depletion of coal reserves Available with thermal plants.
The shortfall was mostly confined to Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Punjab and Rajasthan.
coal crisis | lack of anything; Report baseless: Nirmala Sitharaman
In October, Gujarat recorded a power shortfall of 215 million units, the highest in any month in more than a decade. With a shortfall of 77 million units, Jharkhand also reported its highest loss in more than a decade.
Bihar recorded a shortfall of 120 million units in October, the highest for any month in 8.5 years.
Haryana witnessed a shortfall of 113 million units, the highest in nearly nine years. Punjab’s loss stood at 121 crore units, the highest in seven years. Rajasthan witnessed a power shortage of 242 million units last month, the highest in nine years.
Read also | Electricity consumption grew by 3% to 57.22 billion units during October 1-15
Supply shortages were also observed in Uttar Pradesh and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in October, however, they were not an anomaly but similar to the general trend observed in the regions.
coal inventory
The power shortage was mainly due to lack of coal supply to 135 thermal plants. On November 5, the average coal inventory maintained by the plants would last only seven days. Average stock positions had improved slightly from levels seen in mid-October when there was less than four days of supply available. In comparison, the standard stock required is more than 21 days on average. The last time the average stock was close to the requirement level was in mid-June and has since declined sharply.
As on November 5, around 32 plants have coal reserves of less than four days. Sixty-five plants have stock between four and nine days. About 35 plants have stock between 10 and 19 days.
As of November 5, of all the 135 plants in the list, only the actual stock of 1.45 lakh tonnes of coal is imported. This is a far cry from the 15.43 lakh tonnes of imported coal available in stock in February 2020. The sharp rise in the international coal price led to a reduction in imports.
high prices
Addressing the 47th Foundation Day of Coal India Limited on Monday, Union Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi said that recently the international coal price has increased more than three times, resulting in a 38% reduction in imports. Also, the demand for electricity has increased by over 24 per cent, the minister said.
Mr Joshi urged Coal India Limited and its subsidiaries to “make every effort to ensure coal stock of at least 18 days with thermal plants by the end of November this year.”
Historical data was compiled from the Central Electricity Authority, and October 2021 data was compiled from day-wise reports available with the National Load Despatch Center.
(With inputs from Jasmine Nihalani and Sumant Sen. Data compiled by Pratap Vardhan, Stats of India and Karthik Dhandapani, IIM Trichy)
.