Punjab power crisis: Thermal power plants lack adequate coal supplies
India Today
According to sources, thermal power plants are not being able to generate power to their full capacity. The threat of a blackout looms large in Punjab due to the shortage of coal.
The rising temperatures and electricity demand have left the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) worried.
Over the past fortnight, the daily power demand in Punjab has reached between 7395 MW to 8490 MW. The power demand during the corresponding period last year rose to 1000 MW. The demand, however, reached over 13000 MW in July last year, which is usually around 12000 MW between June to September. The demand drops to 3000 from 6000 MW between October and May.
The unrestricted demand for power in Punjab increased from 11705 MW in 2017-18 to 13148 MW in 2020-21.
The power shortage is being linked to the erratic coal supply to the state's thermal power plants, resulting in a drop in power generation.
According to sources, thermal power plants are not being able to generate power to their full capacity. Punjab is currently getting 4336 MW of power, including 1145 MW from state-owned thermal power plants, 2680 MW from private thermal power plants, 358 MW from hydropower plants, besides 153 MW from other sources.
The threat of a blackout looms large in Punjab following the shortage of coal. One unit each at Rupnagar and Goindwal Sahib thermal power plants and two units of GVK thermal power plant are down for repair.
