AP: Shortage of coal for power gen in GENCO

Vijayawada, Aug 23: Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation Limited (GENCO) Managing Director Ajay Jain said acute shortage of coal for power generation was visible in the State.

Talking to newspersons here last night, he said coal stocks were in shortage and the need of the hour was to build stocks. However, there was no loss of generation on this account, he added.

Mr Jain said the crisis occurred in all the 46 power stations in the country due to shortage of transporation logistics.

Though import of coal was costly, the shortage had prompted the State to place an order for two lakh tonnes, he added.

Listing details of the 18 projects taken up by the GENCO, as part of its capacity-addition programme to tide over power crisis in the next five years, he said of the 18 projects, nine were coal-based, eight hydel and one gas-based.

On the proposed deepening of the Budameru Canal to avoid perennial flooding problem, Mr Jain said the Irrigation Department would bear the cost of the project with a promise that the power structures in the vicinity would not be affected.

The MD added frequent breakdown of the NTRTPS units at Ibrahimpatnam was incidental and an expert team from BHEL would visit the station to address the problem.

UNI