India's thermal plants reel from coal shortage

About 30 of India's thermal power stations have less than a week's coal to fuel plants.

The number of power plants reeling under acute fuel shortage of less than a week stock increased to 30  by the end of May from 27 at the start of May and the number of plants with less than 4-day stock rose from 13 to 19.

The 1,320 MW thermal power station at Jhajjar in Haryana remained shut almost the entire month due to shortage of fuel.

The eastern region was the worst affected, as 12 thermal power plants witnessed less than a week's stock including 10 with less than four days of reserve.

The 3,000 MW Talcher power plant in Orissa, and three plants in West Bengal, with a collective capacity of over 1,600 MW received less coal from Coal India and its subsidiaries, the data revealed. Whereas, coal supply is yet to start at three plants in the same eastern region.

Seven power plants in the northern region - Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh - had less than 7 days of fuel stock on May 30.

Six power plants in the western region - Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra - had less than seven days stock on the same day.

Five power stations in the southern region - Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu - had less than seven days of fuel stock on the same day.

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