Lok Sabha Question No. 2018 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-09
Subject: Shortage of Power Supply
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Manish Tewari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2018 ANSWERED ON 09.12.2021

## SHORTAGE OF POWER SUPPLY

## 2018.  SHRI MANISH TEWARI:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the country recorded a power supply shortage of more than 1.2 billion units  in  October  2021  which  is  highest  in  over  five  years  especially  in  the  State  of Punjab where the shortage was highest of any month in over a decade;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether during the months of October-November, some coal power plants saw an inventory shortage with some plants having less than four days of coal stocks left at times;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (e) the details of coal stock left with power plants including the amount of coal stock required to be maintained for the last three years in power plants run by PSUs, State and month-wise; and
- (f) whether the Government has taken any steps to ensure that such a crisis doesn't happen again and if so, the details thereof?

## A N S W E R

THE MINISTER OF POWER AND NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY

(SHRI  R.K. SINGH)

(a) to (d) : The  States  meet  their  electricity  demand  from  their  own  generating stations, share from central generating stations, and purchase from private generating stations  and  power  exchanges.    During  October  2021,  the  energy  not  served  in  the country was just 1.1% of energy requirement much less than the energy deficit of 11.6% in the month of November 2011. In the State of Punjab, during October, 2021 the energy not served was only 2.5% of energy requirement which was much less than the highest energy deficit of 11.3% during July, 2012. During October, 2021, due to less coal stocks in some power plants there was reduction in availability of power for a few days. The situation has quickly improved and as on day, there is no energy deficit in the country.

As on 31.10.2021, number of power plants having coal stock of less than four  days  was  44.  However,  with  the  consistent  and  concerted  efforts  of  Ministry  of Power, Ministry of Coal, Railways and Coal India Limited/Singareni Collieries Company Limited, the stock at the plants has been improving continuously and, as on 05.12.2021, the coal stock in power plants has improved to 21 Million Tonne which is sufficient for 10 days.

(e) : The month-wise details of coal stock available with the Central and Staterun thermal power plants and quantum of coal required to be maintained during the last three years and the current year (Apr to Nov'2021) is given at Annexure.

(f) : The  Government  has  taken  the  following  measures  to  increase  the  coal supply to power plants:

- (i) To  address  the  issues  of  coal  supplies  to  power  sector,  an  Inter-Ministerial  Sub Group comprising of representatives from Ministries of Power, Central Electricity Authority (CEA), Coal India Limited (CIL) and Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) meet regularly to take operational decisions to enhance supply of coal to thermal power plants as well as for meeting any contingent situations relating to Power Sector including to alleviate critical coal stock position in power plants.
- (ii) Ministry of Power has constituted a Core Management Team (CMT) with members from MoP, Railways, CEA, CIL, NTPC, DVC and POSOCO to ensure close monitoring of coal stocks at thermal power plants (TPPs) and operational decisions are being taken in CMT to augment supply of sufficient quantity of coal to the TPPs.
- (iii) To help the power plants in enhancing their coal stock, CIL in October 2021 has offered about 5.2 Million Tonnes coal from its various subsidiaries to State/Central Gencos for lifting through RCR/ Road mode.
- (iv) Government  has  issued  the  revised  coal  stocking  norms  which  mandates  the power  plants  to  maintain  sufficient  stock  at  all  times  to  meet  any  contingent situation.

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ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (e) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2018 ANSWERED IN THE LOK SABHA ON 09.12.2021.

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## COAL STOCK AVAILABLE AND REQUIRED TO BE MAINTAINED AT POWER PLANTS OF STATE AND CENTRAL GENCOS during last three years and current year

| 2018-19     | 2018-19                          | 2018-19           | 2019-20                          | 2019-20           | 2020-21                          | 2020-21           | 2021-22                          | 2021-22           |
|-------------|----------------------------------|-------------------|----------------------------------|-------------------|----------------------------------|-------------------|----------------------------------|-------------------|
| Date Ending | Coal Stock to be maintained (MT) | Actual Stock (MT) | Coal Stock to be maintained (MT) | Actual Stock (MT) | Coal Stock to be maintained (MT) | Actual Stock (MT) | Coal Stock to be maintained (MT) | Actual Stock (MT) |
| April       | 27.9                             | 13.5              | 27.0                             | 23.7              | 25.9                             | 40.1              | 30.68                            | 17.22             |
| May         | 27.4                             | 12.7              | 28.5                             | 29.1              | 27.2                             | 39.8              | 28.70                            | 20.99             |
| June        | 26.4                             | 13.1              | 27.8                             | 20.8              | 27.3                             | 38.3              | 30.42                            | 21.16             |
| July        | 23.9                             | 13.3              | 25.8                             | 19.1              | 28.5                             | 32.6              | 28.03                            | 17.43             |
| August      | 24.0                             | 11.8              | 25.9                             | 17.3              | 27.6                             | 30.3              | 29.78                            | 8.67              |
| September   | 26.3                             | 8.7               | 25.4                             | 13.5              | 27.1                             | 27.5              | 28.59                            | 8.08              |
| October     | 26.5                             | 8.2               | 24.7                             | 15.2              | 27.2                             | 27.1              | 28.13                            | 7.87              |
| November    | 25.6                             | 10.5              | 26.5                             | 20.4              | 26.9                             | 29.7              | 28.51                            | 13.65             |
| December    | 25.9                             | 12.9              | 27.7                             | 31.6              | 28.5                             | 29.3              |                                  |                   |
| January     | 26.1                             | 15.8              | 28.4                             | 27.5              | 30.3                             | 25.5              |                                  |                   |
| February    | 26.4                             | 20.1              | 27.9                             | 29.4              | 30.3                             | 23.9              |                                  |                   |
| March       | 28.0                             | 23.6              | 25.1                             | 35.3              | 30.9                             | 21.3              |                                  |                   |

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