Super-critical
- October 12, 2021
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Super-critical
Subject – Economy
Context – States sound the alarm on coal crisis
Concept –
- According to the latest coal stock data of the 135 plants with over 165 GW of installed generation capacity monitored by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), as many as 70 plants are categorised as “supercritical” or having less than four days of fuel on October 10 compared to 64 a week ago on October 3 against a normative requirement of 14 days reserve.
- Most of the country’s power is generated from coal, with State-owned Coal India meeting 80-85 per cent of the coal needs, while the rest are met through imports.
- With Coal India setting the nation’s coal prices and keeping prices steady since 2020 despite international prices soaring, it remained in power plants’ interests to resort to domestic coal supplies.
- However, heavy rain and flooding have led to a halt in coal mining domestically, along with transportation problems, creating a supply issue.
- Compared to the government’s recommendation to stock at least two weeks of coal supplies at power plants, 107 out of 135 power plants only had 8 days or less (most had 3-4 days) of coal left as of October 5, hinting at an imminent power crunch,
To know more about coal crisis, please click here.
National Thermal Power Corporation Limited
- NTPC Limited, formerly known as National Thermal Power Corporation Limited, is an Indian statutory corporation. It engaged in generation of electricity and allied activities.
- It is a statutory corporation incorporated under the Companies Act 1956 and is under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Power, Government of India.
- The headquarters of the company is situated at New Delhi.
- NTPC’s core function is the generation and distribution of electricity to State Electricity Boards in India.
- The body also undertakes consultancy and turnkey project contracts that involve engineering, project management, construction management, and operation and management of power plants.
- The body has also ventured into oil and gas exploration and coal mining activities.
- It is the largest power company in India with an electric power generating capacity of 62,086 MW.
- Although the company has approx. 16% of the total national capacity, it contributes to over 25% of total power generation due to its focus on operating its power plants at higher efficiency levels (approx. 80.2% against the national PLF rate of 64.5%).
- NTPC currently produces 25 billion units of electricity per month.
- NTPC currently operates 55 power stations (24 Coal, 7 combined cycle gas/liquid fuel, 2 Hydro, 1 Wind, and 11 solar projects).
- Further, it has 9 coal and 1 gas station, owned by joint ventures or subsidiaries.
- It was founded by Government of India in 1975, which now holds 74% of its equity shares on 30 June 2016(after divestment of its stake in 2004, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016, & 2017)
- In May 2010, NTPC was conferred Maharatna status by the Union Government of India, one of the only four companies to be awarded this status.
- It is ranked 400th in the Forbes Global 2000 for 2016.
- Few Recent Initiatives:
- Creation of public charging infrastructure in various cities and battery charging and swapping stations for electric 3-wheelers have been commissioned.
- Providing electric buses to state/city transport undertakings. For example, e-bus solutions for Andaman and Nicobar Administration are under implementation.
- Launch of its new project involving hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV) to run in Delhi and Leh.
Coal India Limited (CIL)
- Coal India Limited (CIL) is an Indian government-owned coal mining and refining corporation.
- It is under the ownership of Ministry of Coal, Government of India headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
- It is the largest coal-producing company in the world and a Maharatna public sector undertaking.
- It is also the fifth largest employer in India.
- The company contributes around 82% to the total coal production in India.
- CIL is owned primarily by the Union Government of India which controls its operations through the Ministry of Coal.
- CIL ranks 8th among the top 20 firms responsible for a third of all global carbon emissions.
- While government-owned Coal India had 40 million tonnes (mt) stocks to replenish utilities, it also had 7.2 mt of inventories that can meet the country’s requirement for four days.
(India holds the fifth largest coal reserves in the world.
India is the third largest importer of coal in the world).