Question : Shortage of Coal

(a) whether Government of Punjab is to be compensated for the costs incurred to buy power from National Grid as blockade of inbound trains carrying essentials supplies like coal caused shortage of coal to power thermal plants in Punjab and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Union Government will take cognizance of the fact that blackouts in several regions of Punjab due to shortage of coal caused severe damages to livelihoods of rural inhabitants and if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the corrective measures taken by the Government to prevent the stoppage of essential supplies of Coal in future amidst disagreements between Centre and State?

MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, COAL AND MINES
(SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

(a): As per the provisions of the Fuel Supply Agreement, the responsibility of transportation of coal is with the coal consumer. The ownership of coal is transferred to the concerned power plants after dispatch of coal from the loading point of the coal companies. CIL has continuously persuaded the linked power plants of Punjab to increase the coal intake and build up sufficient stock at their end. However, the power plants of Punjab regulated their coal intake for the first two quarters of the current fiscal.
(b): The details of the coal stock at the power plants of Punjab before and after the blockade are as per the table below:
Name of the Power Plant 24.09.2020 23.11.2020 01.12.2020 28.02.2021
000 Tonnes In days 000 Tonnes In days 000 Tonnes In days 000 Tonnes In days
Lehra Mohabbat 41.38 3 19.14 2 27.65 3 44.24 5
Goindwal Sahib 25.48 4 0.18 0 105.42 22 255.92 53
Nabha Power Rajpura 199.43 11 3.68 0 120.90 10 514.94 31
Ropar TPS 92.62 10 64.35 8 64.04 8 66.2 9
Talwandi Sabo TPP 188.58 8 7.65 0 173.16 11 178.18 8
Total Stock of Punjab Power plants 547.49 8 95 2 491.17 10 1059.48 18

At present, there is no issue in coal supply to the Punjab based power plants and they are carrying a comfortable coal stock at their end. The power requirement details of Punjab for the current fiscal indicate that there was no shortage of power and the demand was fully met in Punjab. The details are as mentioned below:

Power Supply Position during 2020-21 (Upto January 2021) : Punjab
Energy Details Peak Details
Year Energy Required Energy Available Surplus/Deficit Peak Demand Demand Met Surplus/Deficit
MU MU MU % MW MW MW %
Apr-20 2,287 2,287 0 0.0 5,113 5,113 0 0.0
May-20 4,032 4,032 0 0.0 8,201 8,201 0 0.0
Jun-20 6,676 6,676 0 0.0 12,683 12,683 0 0.0
Jul-20 7,390 7,390 0 0.0 13,148 13,148 0 0.0
Aug-20 7,527 7,527 0 0.0 12,815 12,815 0 0.0
Sep-20 7,264 7,264 0 0.0 12,433 12,433 0 0.0
Oct-20 4,704 4,702 2 0.1 8,940 8,940 0 0.0
Nov-20 3,210 3,167 43 1.3 6,002 6,002 0 0.0
Dec-20 3,850 3,847 3 0.1 6,707 6,707 0 0.0
Jan-21 3,853 3,849 4 0.1 7,017 7,017 0 0.0
Cumulative (Upto Jan.-2021) 50,793 50,741 -52 -0.1 13,148 13,148 0 0.0
(c): To review infrastructure constraints and coal stock at power plants Sub Group meetings are being held regularly in Ministry of Coal with representative of Ministry of Power, Central electricity Authority (CEA), Coal India Limited (CIL), Singareni Collieries Company (SCCL), Ministry of Railways (MoR) and Power Consumers.

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