Page 6 - AsiaElec Week 36 2021

AsiaElec THERMAL POWER AsiaElec

Mongolia completes thermal power

plant expansion funded by China

CHINA THE city of Erdenet in northern Mongolia last such as personnel replacements and limits on the
week held a commissioning ceremony following transportation of materials, while also success-
a China-funded expansion of a thermal power fully completing the expansion to a high quality.
plant, according to Xinhua news. Chinese Ambassador to Ulaanbaatar Chai
The project was executed by China’s Hunan Wenrui praised the successful completion of the
Industrial Equipment Installation Company, project in a letter.
which previously conducted the expansion of The envoy also said that China would actively
Thermal Power Plant No. 3 in Ulaanbaatar. support Mongolia’s economic and social devel-
“The completion of the project is of great opment, promote the alignment of the Belt
significance to the development of Mongolia’s and Road Initiative and the Steppe Road Pro-
energy sector,” Mongolian Energy Minister Tav- gram, and promote the construction of the
inbekh Nansal reportedly said. China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor to
Tavinbekh noted that during the COVID- achieve more substantial results.™
19 pandemic, Hunan has overcome difficulties

COAL

Indian needs more coal production to

meet rising power demand

CHINA INDIA’S current acute coal shortages have recover after the initial months of the coronavi-
prompted the coal ministry to ask owners of the rus (COVID-19) pandemic.
country’s captive coal mines to increase their The high levels of debt across both mining
output within one week. and power distribution companies mean that
The country’s thermal power plants (TPPs), low investment levels have prevented improve-
many of which are associated with captive coal ments to the infrastructure and in levels of
mines, meaning the power plant has only one efficiency.
source of coal, are facing coal supply problems, The coal ministry said that output levels from
with captive mine owners such as NTPC, Hin- captive mines had been reviewed recently by the
dalco Industries and Ambuja Cements among Nominated Authority, which oversees produc-
those affected. tion levels.
“In view of the shortage of coal in the country The review revealed that many allocatees
and shortfall of production from the captive coal are falling severely behind their schedules of
mines, you are requested to ramp up the produc- production.
tion to meet your captive requirements,” the coal “In view of the rising demand for electricity
ministry said in a letter to the owners of opera- from thermal power plants in the country, the
tional coal mines. demand for coal has been increasing,” the coal
India’s tightly regulated coal and thermal ministry said.
power sectors have long faced supply problems The key issue is that operators of captive coal
as the country’s rail network struggled to cope, mines gained the mining rights by committing to
and there are large numbers of unpaid bills. detailed coal production levels and guaranteed
The problem is now acute as demand levels supplied to associated TPPs.™

P6 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 36 08•September•2021