Coal level at thermal plants improves: Delhi government

The coal levels at thermal plants in the Capital improved on Thursday, a day after Power Minister Satyendar Jain raised alarm over the depleting stock that may result to a blackout in the city. According to the sources, while the supply of the fossil fuel has improved, the situation still remains critical.

The data provided by the Power department of the Delhi government showed the stock of coal had come down to 91,129 metric ton on Wednesday and increased to 1,01,985 metric ton on Thursday. The coal requirement of the three plants is 56,000 metric ton per day. Normally, a stock of 8,40,000 metric ton coal - required to meet 15 days' need - is maintained for the three thermal power plants in Delhi-NCR.

Jain, on Wednesday, feared a blackout in the city, saying the actual stock of coal for thermal plants at Dadri, Jhajjar and Badarpur could meet the requirements of only 1.63 days.

"The situation improved a little bit over past 24 hours but the situation is still critical," a Delhi government official said.

The power demand in Delhi broke all the records on June 1 and reached 6,651 MW in the afternoon, highest ever this season. Last year, the highest peak power demand was recorded at 6,526 MW on June 6.

Jain had earlier predicted 7,000 MW power demand saying enough electricity was available to meet the rising demand. Announcing the action plan for electricity supply arrangements in summer months, Jain had, in March, said: "we have enough backhand arrangements to meet the power demand that is expected to soar up to a historic 7,000 MW level in June this year."

Worried over the power shortage in the Capital, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had recently written to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal seeking their intervention into the "crisis-like" power situation developing in the national capital due to coal shortage.