After the shortage of coal from the Mahanadi Coalfields limited (MCl)-run mines at Talcher forced the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to shut down one 500 MW unit of its Kaniha unit in Angul district, the MCl clarified that its responsibility ceases with producing the coal and keeping it in the pit-heads, while the consumers are obliged to transport the coal to their locations.
In a Press release, MCl said that supply of coal to NTPC’s Kaniha plant increased by 11 per cent at 15.048 million tones (MTs) during financial year 2012-13 as against 13.541 MTs during same period in the previous fiscal. In order to facilitate increase in coal supplies, the MCl offered 1,506 rakes to Railways against NTPC’s programme of 1,364 rakes. The Railways had allotted to the Kaniha unit 1,334 rakes against the demand of 1,364 rakes, which is almost 100 per cent, but the power unit availed only 1,047 rakes. Hence, the reasons for short allotment of rakes by the Railways to Kaniha unit, which alleged shortage of coal being the reason to halt operations of its 500 MW unit, are best known to the power major. The MCl accused NTPC’s failure to lift enough coal form its pithead leading to shortage of stocks.
While many pit-head consumers like Talcher Thermal Power Plant, a sister concern of NTPC, Jindal Steel and Power limited, and Nalco among others lifted adequate quantity of coal from Talcher coalfields, but power major NTPC failed to lift coal for its Kaniha plant due to glitches in its supply chain.
Although the rail track from Kaniha OCP of MCl to Wharf Wall I and II has been completed by the NTPC, but the engine escape line across Telisingha Road, point and crossing and track across Telisingha Road and final alignment and packing are yet to be done. Had the transportation through this line been commenced, the existing coal stock of 1 MT at Kaniha would have been liquidated, the coal company argued.