AP to explore options to meet coal demand need
As Coal India Limited may not be able to cater the needs of thermal stations, the States have been advised to import 10 per cent of the year’s coal requirement
image for illustrative purpose
Vijayawada/Visakhapatnam: The YS Jaganmohan Reddy Government on Sunday said it is always at the forefront and committed for the overall development of the State and the welfare of the public by exploring various alternatives to tide over any power crisis triggered by coal shortage in the future.
The statement assumes importance in the wake of a claim by the Union Ministry of Power that the coal crisis is going to stay for around two years and, at the same time; the power demand is going to rise further. As Coal India Limited may not be able to cater the needs of thermal stations, the States have been advised to import 10 per cent of the year's coal requirement.
In this endeavor the State Government has accelerated its efforts to speed up construction of 29 pumped storage hydro power (PSP) projects with a capacity of 33,240 MW in a phased manner to meet the balancing requirement of power at State and national level in future in view of the severe power shortage across the county due to insufficient availability of coal supplies to thermal power plants, said Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy, Minister for Energy on Sunday.
As around 52 per cent power producing capacity in India is met from coal as the fuel and the shortage of coal has badly affected the power generation at thermal plants across the country, the State Government has decided to promote PSP projects to bring energy security and also export the surplus power to outside.
The projects are being designed in combination of pumped hydro storage, solar and wind energy which will help to convert variable renewable energy sources into round the clock power and attract large scale investments into Andhra Pradesh.
According to officials of the power sector, the Union Ministry of Power has recently conducted meetings with Secretaries of all States and made it clear that the coal crisis is going to stay for around two years and, at the same time; the power demand is going to rise further. Coal India Limited may not be able to cater the needs of thermal stations. They also directed all the States to import coal at 10 per cent of their annual requirement.
In view of this, APGENCO and AP Power Development Corporation Limited (APPDCL) have initiated procurement of imported coal to the tune of 18 lakhs tonnes and 13 lakh tonne respectively to improve coal supplies to thermal plants. The State Government and power utilities are also devising plans to fulfill the power requirements on a long term basis apart from the temporary measures being taken to tackle the present power shortage.
