Bhubaneswar: Operation at Ib Thermal Power Station (ITPS), a unit of Odisha Power Generation Corporation Limited (OPGC), was suspended Sunday for an uncertain period due to severe coal shortage and disruption in coal supply. The unit is located at Banharpalli in Jharsuguda district of Odisha.
The officials said, “OPGC has four units and 24000 MT of coal is required for operating all these units comprising 210 MW x 2 and 660 MW x2. OPGC-1 comprises first two units having generating capacity of 210 MW each and second two units, having capacity of 660 MW each, come under OPGC-II.”
According to the official, first two units need 8,000 tonne of coal daily while second two units require 16,000 tonne on a daily basis.
“But due to resistance against removal of overburden from Lakhanpur area of MCL, OPGC has been receiving 12,000 MT for over a month,” officials said. OPGC authorities had discussed the problem with the state government and MCL authorities, but the latter was not able to supply required coal.
According to sources, MCL is supposed to increase coal supply to OPGC from 10,000 tonnes to 18,000 tonnes from October 6 and then enhance the quantity to 20,000 tonnes from October 7 against ITPS’s daily requirement of 24,000 tonnes. However, MCL managed to supply 16,000 tonnes October 7 and 12,000 tonnes October 8 due to the same situation, sources said.
The authorities predicted that the state may be headed for severe power crisis in coming days. OPGC is a joint venture company between the state government having a majority stake of 51 per cent and American power major AES has 49 per cent share.
