After facing a prolonged coal crisis, thermal power plants in the state are getting a breather as coal from Parsa East-Kanta Basan (PEKB) block in Chhattisgarh has resumed reaching them.
With four rakes per day being transported to Rajasthan currently, the situation at the power stations has normalized. “From November 7, the state is receiving 4-5 rakes per day from a PEKB extension, and presently there is no crisis. The situation is expected to be better after mining in the new allotted coal block begins,” said an official.
The central government had allotted to Rajasthan a 15-MTPA (million tonnes per annum) coal block in PEKB in Chhattisgarh and another of 5-MTPA capacity in Parsa, also in Chhattisgarh, in 2015. Reserves in the first phase of PEKB coal block were exhausted this year. The first phase of mining on 762 hectares of land in the PEKB block was allotted to Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (RRVUNL) in 2007, and mining, which started in 2013, has been completed, said the official.
Disruption of coal supply from Chhattisgarh had plunged Rajasthan’s power plants into a crisis, forcing RRVUNL to purchase coal at higher prices and causing holes in the pockets of consumers. While 23 rakes of coal are required daily to operate all the power plants in Rajasthan at full capacity, the state is currently receiving 17 rakes daily, which is sufficient to meet the present demand, said officials.
When Parsa mine inChhattisgarh’s Surguja district starts operating soon, Rajasthan’s coal crisis will be over. The forest department of Chhattisgarh had started felling trees for the second phase of the PEKB coal mine in October. The Chhattisgarh government had granted permission for non-forestry use of 1,136. 328 hectares land for PEKB phase-II mine in Surguja that has been allotted to Rajasthan.
“The demand for power is constantly increasing in Rajasthan. As per the estimate of power distribution agencies, demand is expected to clock 17,000 MW despite the onset of winter. There will be permanent relief only when mining in phase II starts,” said an RRVUNL official.
Rajasthan has already started taking 1,500 MW power from power distribution companies of Uttar Pradesh, while 300 MW power will be taken from power distribution companies of Tamil Nadu soon, said sources.
