TN govt denies shortage of coal stock

Chennai, Oct 26 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu government today denied reports that there was shortage of coal stock in the four thermal power stations in the state.

Refuting reports in a section of the media that power generation would be affected because of short supply of coal, an official release here said the generation of power in turn had increased compared to the corresponding period last year.

The power production had increased by 639 million units during the last five months when compared to the corresponding period last year.

There was adequate stock of coal in all the four thermal stations and none of them had stopped production, it added.

Even media reports on the present stock of coal in the four plants were false, it said and added that there was enough stock in Tuticorin plant for the next four days.

''Further two consignments of 75,000 metric tonnes each of coal would be imported in the next couple of days at the Tuticorin port,'' it said and added there was no coal shortage in the remaining three plants.

Observing that the Central Energy Regulatory Authority was monitoring the existing coal stock in all the 77 thermal power plants in the country, the release said as per its list, the present stock of coal would last less than four days.

''When compared to it, the stock of coal in the thermal power plants in Tamil Nadu was higher and constant efforts were being made to import coal on a regular basis,'' it said.

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