Coal Shortage: Have stock enough for two more days, says Karnataka govt

With several states unable to meet the power demands of their residents due to coal shortages, India is being pushed to the brink of a power crisis. However, the Karnataka government on Tuesday said it is not facing a power shortage for the moment. The state's Additional Chief Secretary (Energy), G Kumar Naik, further said the state has been constantly requesting the Centre for additional supply of coal.

"We have two days of coal supplies in our thermal plans. We are leading a hand-to-mouth existence, but our dependence on coal is low compared to other states," Naik said.

Naik said the state has only one imported coal-based power plant. "We will requisition them as a last resort," Naik said, adding, "We have asked the imported coal-based plant to go for spot purchases at lowest costs."

Naik further assured that impact on consumers with respect to tariffs will be minimal. "We want to cap the tariff at 9-10 rupees (per unit). Karnataka has been the biggest sellers in the power market and impact on tariffs for consumers in Karnataka will be minimal," Naik added.

Earlier in the day, the country’s largest coal producer and supplier CIL said it has upped its supplies by 14.2 percent to coal-based electricity generating plants in the first half of the current month. Coal India (CIL) said that it is coordinating with the ministries of coal, power and railways to build up stocks at power plants in a synergic effort, in the wake of a decline in coal stocks at power plants.