LACK OF QUALITY COAL TRIPS MAHAGENCO'S POWER PRODUCTION
By ceoaisra, Section News
Posted on Sat May 23, 2009 at 01:16:05 AM EST
Power production at the seven thermal power stations of Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Ltd (Mahagenco) has dipped by about eight per cent since March due to problems in quality of coal. According to top sources, this is happening because Coal India's subsidiaries, Western Coalfields and South Eastern Coalfields, are supplying irregular sized as well as adulterated coal to Mahagenco. The average monthly power production based on thermal coal is about 3,600 million units but has dipped to 3,300 million due to these glitches. Senior company officials told that the power plant hoppers, which receive the coal from the railway wagons, are not designed to receive coal pieces which are more than 100 mm. Large chunks clog the hopper and have to be physically removed. This only adds to the operational time of the plant. "Unloading one coal wagon usually takes about 12 hours but due to the irregular shape of coal, it now takes 20-60 hours, Moreover, the coal is at times mixed with stones and steel pieces of the earth digger used in the mines. The coal crusher breaks down due to these foreign objects leading to further delays," the official said. Mahagenco is only company facing problems from coal supplied by Western Coal fields (from its Umrer mines in Maharashtra) and South Eastern Coal Fields' new Kusrmnda mines in Chhattisgarh. It has brought up the issue with the two companies but no solution has been reached. Because of the firm contracts, sources add, it does not have any other option but to continue sourcing coal from these companies.
