Lehra thermal plant's coal reserves hit rock bottom
Tuesday, 14/08/2012
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120814/punjab.htm#1
Bathinda,: After the shortfall in generation due to scanty rainfall, Punjab's power utilities are in for another shock: Guru Hargobind thermal plant at Lehra Mohabbat has very less coal reserves left with it. They may last just another fortnight. The stock deficit is the result of an ongoing tussle between the plant officials and the supplier company, Panem, over the quality of coal.
Accusing Panem of indulging in arm-twisting, the plant authorities alleged that the company altogether stopped supply on August 6 when they brought to its knowledge that the coal being provided to them was sub-standard. The plant engineers had conducted tests on the supplied coal to substantiate their claim.
Gain for Punjab Govt: The expose resulted in losses to the coal company, but saved crores for the state government, something that did not go down well with Panem. The payment to the company is made according to the grade of the coal supplied.
"Grading of coal is done on the basis of its calorific value. Higher calorific value means better grade. Grade 'A' is the best coal whereas the worst quality is labeled under Grade 'G' category," said Lehra plant officials.
No supply after Aug 6: After August 6, not even a single rake of coal was provided to Lehra plant until yesterday whereas the supply remained interrupted to Bathinda and Ropar plants. Today, one rake was diverted from Ropar to Lehra Mohabbat plant after the authorities raised a hue and cry in view of the dwindling stock. Each rake carries 4,100 metric tonnes of coal.
At present, the plant is left with only 2 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of coal, which would last another 14 days. In case the supply is not resumed by then, the plant would face a shutdown.
The plant management has already sent an SOS to the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) apprising it of the depleting supply.
Since 2006, the PSPCL has been meeting 60 per cent of the coal requirements of the three thermal plants from Pachwara coal block in Pakur district of Jharkhand. The coal supply agreement was signed with Panem.
Joint-testing of coal: From time to time, joint testing of coal is done at various plant sites by PSPCL and Panem officials. Panem has posted its representatives at all the three thermal plants in Punjab. However, the Lehra Mohabbat plant management took a serious note of reports regarding alleged discrepancies and manipulation in testing of coal and deputed a group of engineers in March 2012 to supervise the process. "The exercise, which is still going on, brought out shocking results. The grade of coal supplied to the Lehra Mohabbat project was inferior as compared to other plants," an official said.
From April to July, 341 rakes were supplied to the plant. Of these, only six were found to be of Grade 'C' whereas 107 were of Grade 'D', 196 of Grade 'E' and 32 of Grade 'F'.
The thermal plant at Bathinda also followed the Lehra example and formed a similar group in June to supervise random coal testing. It found out that of the total 19 rakes supplied to it in June and July, only one was of Grade 'C', seven were of Grade 'D', nine of Grade 'E' and two of Grade 'F'.
No complaint in Ropar : But, no special testing was done at Ropar. As such, of the 344 rakes supplied to the plant from April to July, 81 have been found to be of Grade 'C', 191 of Grade 'D' and 92 of Grade 'E'. "Not even a single rake has been found to be of Grade 'F', something that has come as a surprise to the officials concerned," an official said.
As a single change of grade makes a difference of lakhs of rupees per rake, Lehra plant officials managed to save a huge amount for the Punjab Government. But in the process, they ended up annoying the coal provider.
PSPCL order unheeded : "Having failed to influence Lehra plant to tow its line, Panem stopped supply on August 6. Of the total 15 rakes supplied over the last five days, 13 have been supplied to Ropar and two to Bathinda. This, despite directions from the PSPCL for diverting 50 per cent of the total supply to the Lehra plant," he said. The coal stock with the Bathinda plant would last 25 days while the Ropar plant can make do for another 18 days.
Lehra Mohabbat plant chief engineer MR Parihar said the discrepancies detected during the testing of coal had been reported to the higher authorities.
PSPCL director (generation) GS Chhabra today directed the chief engineers of the three plants to submit reports on coal quality as well as the prevailing shortage. Panem had also been told to speed up the supply, he said.
