Power Min asks imported coal plants to run at full capacity to avert crisis

New DelhiExtends Section 11 directive to imported coal plants till Sept 30

Peak power demand met or the highest supply in a day touched a record high of 223.23 GW on June 9, 2023. A power ministry notice shot off on Monday to 15 imported coal-based thermal power projects, stated: "It has now been decided to extend the time period for Section 11 to imported coal-based generators up to September 30, 2023." Earlier in February, the ministry asked these imported coal based plants to operate at full capacity from March 16, 2023, to June 15, 2023, invoking Section 11 of the Electricity Act 2003 to avoid any outage due to a sudden rise in power demand. Peak power demand was estimated to touch a record high of 229GW during this summer.

However, unseasonal rains affected the demand as people used fewer cooling appliances like air conditioners which guzzle electricity. The 15 imported coal-based (ICB) power plants include Tata Power and Adani Power's plants in Mundra in Gujarat; Essar power plant in Salaya; JSW Ratnagiri; Tata Trombay; Udupi Power; Meenakshi Energy; and JSW Torangallu. The country's peak power demand is estimated to touch 230GW in 2023. In December 2022, Union power secretary Alok Kumar had said that the government will take all possible measures to meet the 230 gigawatt (GW) single-day peak demand.