Lok Sabha Question No. 1809 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-28
Subject: Short Supply of Coal to Power Plants
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: B.N. CHANDRAPPA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1809 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.12.2017

## SHORT SUPPLY OF COAL TO POWER PLANTS

1809.   SHRI B.N. CHANDRAPPA:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware that Karnataka is facing a critical drop in coal supply to generate electricity, if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government is aware that the thermal power plants of the State are on the verge of a crisis due to non-availability of coal, if so, the details thereof;

- (c) whether the Government is also aware that the State of Karnataka does not possess any coal mines and it depends on imported coal or coal from other States, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether it is true that this year has seen a much more drastic fall in coal supplies  compared  to  previous  years,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the reasons for a huge decrease in coal supply to the State this year; and
- (e) whether the Government is taking any measures to ensure that the coal is supplied  to  all  the  States  including  Karnataka  to  generate  the  electricity required for State and if so, the details thereof?

## A N S W E R

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR POWER AND NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY

( SHRI  R. K. SINGH )

(a) & (b) : Coal  is  supplied to  the  power  plants  through  long -term  linkage,  e -auction and import . The plants also receive coal through captive coal mines in case a mine is allotted to a power plant . Karnataka has three coal based power plants in the State, namely, Raichur TPS ( 1720 MW ) , Bellary TPS ( 1700 MW ) and Yermarus TPS ( 1600 MW ). Bellary TPS and Yermarus TPS have no long -term coal linkage .

As  regards  Raichur  Thermal  Power  Plant,  the  materialisation  of  the prorata annual contracted quantity from Coal India Limited (CIL) and The Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) for 2017-18 (upto 13/12/2017) is around 77% and 100% respectively. The supply against bridge linkage to other power plants is on the best effort basis.

........2.

The coal supply to the power stations in Karnataka have improved and coal companies are making all efforts to further augment the supply to all the power stations.  The  average  coal  supplies  to  all  power  plants  of  KPCL  during  April  to October  2017  was  3.26  rakes/day  (12850  Tonnes  Per  Day  (TPD)  and  this  supplies were increased to  4.00  rakes/day  in  the  month  of  November  (16000  TPD)  and  4.9 rakes/day  (20000  TPD)  in  the  month  of  December.  The  above  supplies  have necessitated improvement of coal stocks at the power plants of KPCL.

( c ): As  per  the  Coal  Mines ( Special  Provisions ) Act,  2015  as  well  as  the Mines and Minerals ( Development and Regulation ) Act, 1957, six ( 6 ) coal mines have been allocated to Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd ( KPCL ). The names of the Coal Mine / Block are : Baranj I, Baranj II, Baranj III, Baranj IV, Manora Deep and Kiloni with end  use  plant  Bellary  TPS ( 2x500  MW ). These  mines  are  located  in  Maharashtra . KPCL has imported 4 . 45 Lakh Tonnes during 2016 -17 . However, during 2017 -18 ( April -November ) , KPCL has not imported any coal .

( d ) : The coal receipt by the  KPCL power  plants ( Bellary  TPS  and  Raichur TPS ) has reduced by 23 % during 2017 -18 ( April -November ) as against the corresponding period last year . Due to heavy monsoon in mine areas the domestic coal production, loading at mines and transportation of coal was affected.

However, since 19.10.2017, there has been consistent increase in coal stock in all power stations including the power stations in Karnataka. The overall coal  stock  in  the  power  stations  in  the  country  have  increased  from  7.3  Million Tonnes (MT) as on 19.10.2017 to 12.9 MT as on 25.12.2017.

( e ): The  Union  Government  has  taken  the  following  measures  to  ensure that the coal is supplied to all the States including Karnataka to generate electricity required for the State :

- i. The availability of coal is being regularly monitored closely to ensure that generation of power plant is not affected due to shortage of coal.
- ii. On the request of the State Government, the duration of Bridge Linkage to Bellary Thermal Power Station ( TPS ) and Yeramarus TPS from SCCL has been extended twice .
- iii. Blocks  have  been  allotted  to  central/state  power  utilities  to  improve domestic coal availability.
- iv. The Government has introduced a scheme SHAKTI ( Scheme for Harnessing  and  Allocating  Koyala ( Coal ) Transparently  in  India )-2017,  to provide coal linkages to the   power plants which do not have any linkage .
- v. The Government has introduced flexibility in utilization  of  domestic  coal amongst  power generating stations to reduce the cost of power generation. The State/Central Gencos would have flexibility to utilize their coal in optimum and cost effective manner in their own power plants as well as by transferring coal to other State/Central Gencos Power plants for generation of cheaper power.

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