Punjab Deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today announced that the power situation would improve in the State in the next two days following the steps taken by the government to step up coal supply to thermal plants in conjunction with the Union coal ministry finally bearing fruit.The Deputy chief minister, who took stock of the power situation with senior officials immediately after returning from Delhi today where he met Union minister for coal Piyush Goyal for the second time in a week, was briefed that power generation at the Rajpura thermal plant was likely to be increased in the next two days. The Rajpura plant, which is presently producing 500 mega watt of power against a capacity of 1400 mega watt, is likely to increase generation with two rakes of coal expected to reach there today evening and two more tomorrow.
Power Secretary Anirudh Tewari briefed the Deputy CM, who also holds the power portfolio, that the increase in coal supply to the Rajpura plant had occurred after a representation made by him to the Union minister of State for Coal last week. He said the State was also hopeful that the Union ministry would act on another representation to commence coal supply to the Talwandi Sabo thermal plant or provide it an ad hoc supply of 3 lakh metric tonnes so that it could resume operations.The Coal ministry has also agreed to a proposal to allow tapering coal linkage of up to 2.4 million tonnes for one year to the Goindwal Sahib thermal plant which has been synchronized on oil and is lying idle for want of coal so that this power is available to Punjab within this paddy season.Meanwhile the Deputy CM took stock of the entire power situation. He was briefed that power demand had increased due to unprecedented high temperature and complete failure of the monsoon. The power demand in the State has increased from around 8,500 mega watt daily last year to more than 10,500 mega watt daily. Officials also reported a spurt in air conditioner usage in the State with Jagraon town alone recording a sale of 5,000 air conditioners.
Badal also appealed to the people to realise the gravity of the situation, which was not of the State’s making. “The earlier Congress led UPA government could not develop coal supply from the mines to the thermal plants in various States. We on our part have increased power generation from 2140 mw in 2007 to 4,700 mw in 2014. However despite more than doubling the State’s power generating capacity Punjab is suffering because it is unable to get the coal required by it. Even now as much as 1560 mw of our installed capacity is lying unused because of lack of coal”.The Deputy CM said things were changing now under the new dispensation and the Union coal ministry was devising ways and means to address the problems faced by the State including the immediate need to increase coal supply to its thermal plants. “I have already given directions that all out efforts should be made to stabilise power supply in the State”, he added.