The national Capital may soon have to face a blackout as the coal reserves with the Delhi government can survive only for a-day-and-a-half. Terming the situation as "critical", Power Minister Satyendar Jain has written a letter to Union Power Minister RK Singh requesting him to intervene in the matter.
This is the second time that the government has expressed concern over the decreasing coal reserves. Earlier, a similar warning was issued in the month of May as well.
According to the sources, the Thermal Generating Stations in the National Capital Region (NCR)- Dadri I and II, Jhajjar and Badarpur are facing coal shortage since the last many days due to non-availability of transportation rakes with the Indian Railways.
"Since June 19, the coal stock is continuously declining and has reached approximately 90,000 MT on Wednesday. Normally, the stock of at least 15 days is required to be maintained by these power plants. The situation is critical," Jain wrote in his letter. He further claimed that due to the extreme weather condition in the city, the demand is crossing 6900 MW.
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 Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal seeking their intervention into the "crisis-like" power situation developing in the Capital due to coal shortage.
POWER DEMAND REACHES NEW HEIGHTS
- 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.
- Health and Power Minister Jain had earlier predicted 7,000 MW power demand saying enough electricity was available to meet the rising demand.
