Coal shortage hits generation at NTPC?s Simhadri plant

Shortage of coal supply at Visakhapatnam NTPC?s Simhadri super thermal power station has hit the power generation. The power station has been unable to generate power optimally since a month due to the acute shortage of coal supply, which can only add to the state?s power woes. The generation loss due to shortage of fuel supply has been 325 million units on June 3.

The Andhra Pradesh government depends heavily on NTPC Simhadri, which has four units, each with the capacity to generate 500 mw. Four units were commissioned in two stages, with Stage-1 generating a total 1,000 mw and Stage-II 452 mw.

Of the 1,000 mw produced from Stage-I, Stage-II, other states get power as per the Gadgil formula. Tamil Nadu gets 233 mw, Karnataka 208 mw, Kerala 95 mw and Puducherry 12 mw. The unallocated power ? 150 mw ? is also shared by the southern states. During the current financial year (2013-14), Simhadri station, which is maintaining 100 per cent availability, could utilise only 87.69 per cent capacity due to fuel shortage.