The Delhi government on Wednesday wrote to Union Minister of State for Power RK Singh about an impending electricity crisis in the national Capital because of fast depleting coal stockpiles at power plants in the city. Delhi Power Minister Satyendar Jain urged Singh to take up the matter with the Railways, which transports coal to the national Capital.
“Since June 19, the coal stock is declining continuously and has reached approximately 90,000 metric ton, which is only one and a half days’ requirement,” Jain wrote. “Normally, a stock for at least 15 days is required to be maintained by these power plants. The situation, therefore, is extremely critical.”
The minister pointed out that peak electricity load in Delhi crosses 6,900 mega watt from time to time because high temperatures lead to high demand, while power plants generate just 2,000 MW of power.
This is the second time that the Delhi government has accused the Railways of not providing wagons for transporting coal to power plants in Delhi.
In May, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to direct the Railways to provide rakes for transporting coal to the plants. Jain also had raised the matter back then, following which Coal India Limited sent supplies to the National Thermal Power Corporation’s Dadri and Badarpur plants.
Coal India had then said the Delhi government could have avoided situation with better planning.
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