With the state corporation suffering a double whammy, power crisis in Punjab is set to deepen.
Suspension of freight trains due to the farm agitation has hit coal supplies to power plants across the state. The power generation has nosedived at a time the demand has gone up due to the festive season (see box).
Punjab State Power Corporation Limited, which otherwise sells power at this time of the year, is forced to buy it from the national grid, that too at 20% hiked prices.
At present, only two government coal-based power plants are operating, that too at just 20% of installed capacity. Left with just two days of coal stock, they are generating around 350MW daily against the installed capacity of 1760MW. The private thermal plants are left with no coal stock and have been out of operation for a week.
