Page 10 - AsiaElec Week 04 2022

AsiaElec COAL AsiaElec

New coal supply

issues hit India

INDIA JUST days after Indonesia permitted exports of unloading System’, which uses hopper wagon
coal to resume, leading the wider coal-depend- with bottom opening (BOBRN type)” in what
ent Asian region to breathe a sigh of relief, energy some have seen as an apparent bid to attribute
generation plants in some of the more remote any problems to rake loading and unloading
areas of India now face new struggles to secure methods as opposed to any previously claimed
reliable supplies. bias in allocations.
This is proving increasingly problematic for The usage of the term ‘foreign’ was then said
plants located further away from domestic coal to refer to any coal deliveries moving outside
mines as the state-run Indian Railways looks to home rail zones where supplies are typically
post despatch figures proving deliveries of coal prioritised.
are back to normal. In the case of the Amravati plant, the lack of
It is not the first time Indian Railways has a hopper unloading system was seemingly the
been accused of ‘bias’, however, with similar reason behind the lack of coal at the site; “The
issues occurring at the end of summer, 2021, unloading time of hopper rake is much less, i.e.,
although it is believed to be the first example of three hours per rake, therefore has better turn
the busiest rail network in the world labelling around. As a result, rake supply to these short-
some of the more remote drop-offs as ‘foreign’ in er-distance plants dealing with faster circuit
a bid to restrict deliveries. Hopper rake naturally improves,” Indian Rail-
In response to some of India’s private power ways said.
suppliers highlighting the problems they are fac- In India’s south-eastern state of Tamil Nadu,
ing with regional rail networks, the Ministry of meanwhile, a trio of coal power plants are
Power in New Delhi launched an investigation expected to remain starved of fuel as they near
asking Indian Railways for information of reme- completion.
dial action being taken to alleviate issues in areas In information released by the the Tamil
with seemingly less frequent deliveries. Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation
One case in point is the Maharashtra Amar- (TANGEDCO) – the region’s state-owned elec-
avati power generation plant operated by Rattan tricity producer – both Central and State govern-
India Power, which last week closed down one of ment help has been requested in guaranteeing
its units as a result of lack of supply in the south- supplies after a five-year coal excavation period
east central rail zone (SECR). had expired on the back of administrative delays
Responding to calls from industry and the by the central government.
Ministry of Power, the Ministry of Railways this According to a senior TANGEDCO official,
week released details on how it intends to help “The three new thermal stations, with a total
build stocks at remote power stations, referring generation capacity of 3,440 MW, will need at
to the case in Maharashtra by stating “These least 30,000 to 40,000 tonnes of additional coal
reports have claimed that the power plant oper- every day,” even if the 2016-2021 excavation
ated by Rattan India Power Ltd in Maharashtra agreement has now passed.
has also been shut down due to [a] coal short- As a result, TANGEDCO is now having
age resulting from insufficient rake allotment to source supplies from private companies,
by SECR. Dismissing these misleading media although the possibility remains open that the
reports, the Ministry of Railways has issued regional energy supplier may be able to seek
a clarification” following up with “In South- an extension on its mining agreement due to
East central railways, there are a large number an initial delay in clearance by India’s Ministry
of thermal power plants [TPPs] which have of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
less coal stock as per new coal stocking norms. (MoEFCC). “If the Centre doesn’t approve (the
Many of these shorter-distance plants have both Chandrabilla) coal block quickly, TANGEDCO
mechanised unloading flexibility, namely the will have to purchase the fuel from private enti-
‘Tippler unloading system’, which uses an open ties”, a spokesperson for the company said.™
wagon with side door (BOXN type) and ‘Hopper

P10 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 04 26•January•2022