The Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) has agreed to supply 35.48 lakh tonnes of coal per annum to Sri Damodaram Sanjeevaiah thermal power station (SDSTPS). Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGenco) and Andhra Pradesh Power Development Corporation Limited (APPDCL) have 5811 MW of thermal and 7989 MW of total installed capacity. They have fuel supply agreement for supply of coal from MCL for a quantity of 17.2 million metric tonnes per annum and from Singareni Coal Collieries limited (SCCL) for a quantity of 6.9 MTTPA.
Accordingly, coal is being supplied through all rail routes (from MCL and SCCL) to Dr Narla Tata Rao thermal power station and Rayalaseema thermal power plant (RTPP), and rail-sea-rail mode (from MCL) to SDSTPS and RTPP.
With the persistent efforts of the state government and APGenco, the Coal India Limited/Mahanadi Coalfields Limited has allocated 3.548 MMTPA of coal to unit-3 (800 MW) of stage-II at SDSTPS. Commercial operations started on this unit on March 10. The MCL has issued permission for supply of coal as per the fuel supply agreement with effect from May 1.
Considering the addition of the new unit, the APPDCL has started optimum utilisation of coal from Adani Krishnapatnam port to SDSTPS to run the units without interruption. With the permission of supply of additional coal to unit-III at SDSTPS, the APGENCO/APPDCL will be able to improve the coal stocks and run the units at their rated capacities to meet the grid demand this summer.
The subgroup, consisting of the Union ministry of coal, power and railways, and coal companies, is continuously monitoring the coal stocks at all thermal power plants across the country and regulating the coal supplies as per the requirement. With the cooperation of the sub-group, APGENCO and APPDCL plants are able to run the units without interruptions.
APGenco managing director KVN Chakradhar Babu briefed these developments to special chief secretary (energy) K Vijayanand in a virtual review meeting conducted on coal supply situation to thermal units and its impact on power generation. The special CS said that acceptance of MCL to supply 35.48 lakh tonnes of coal will be a great boon for power generation and supply of 24×7 qualitative power supply to consumers. As per the directions of the state government, an action plan is in place to supply power to all the sectors without any load reliefs, the special CS added.
The Genco MD explained that the daily energy demand touched its peak of 247 million units on April 20 with an average demand of 232 MU per day in April. This is expected to reach 250 MU in the coming days.
