Major power crisis due to limited coal supply; load shedding inevitable in Assam: APDCL

Oct. 11: “Due to limited coal availability, the generation of power from Thermal Generating Stations has decreased considerably. The power position is clearly at critical level and power outrages/ load shedding may be inevitable,” stated Chief General Manager (COM & EE) of Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) on Monday.

APDCL further stated, “Kindly bear with us and use electricity judiciously Energy saved is energy generated. Inconvenience cause is highly regretted.” It needs mention here that Assam needs around 2100 MW and at the peak hours they produce only around 370 MW and remaining has to be purchased from national grid.

Notably, this is not the case only in Assam. Power crisis is also faced by many other states of India. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday met with the cabinet officials in charge of the coal and power ministries amid the ongoing coal crisis.

As per the data from the grid operator, power plants across the country regulated generation after stock ran low. Against the requirement of maintaining 15 days to 30 days of stocks, over half of the country’s 135 coal-fired power plants, which in total supply around 70 per cent of the nation’s electricity, have fuel stocks of less than two days.