Punjab and Rajasthan already cutting power for three hours a day due to non-availability of coal
The ongoing coal shortage in India is becoming more serious with each passing day, even as ministers of the Government of India have stated otherwise. The states of Punjab and Rajasthan have begun load-shedding for three hours daily as on October 12, 2021, due to the non-availablity of coal.
Ten more states are likely to announce official power cuts soon, according to media reports, given the current grim scenario.
Status of power supply in key states
| State | Power Crisis Scenario |
| Punjab | Officially sanctioned load-shedding for three hours |
| Rajasthan | Officially sanctioned load-shedding for 3-6 hours in major cities |
| Chhattisgarh | Unannounced power cuts. Critical state of coal stocks |
| Andhra Pradesh | Unannounced power cuts. Coal stocks to last for the next 2-3 days |
| Uttar Pradesh | Unofficial power cuts. Critical state of coal stocks |
| Bihar | A roster for power cuts to be decided by state-run discoms |
| Kerala | A roster for power cuts to be decided by state-run discoms by October 19 |
| Karnataka | Officially sanctioned power cuts |
| Madhya Pradesh | State power stations not having coal |
| Gujarat | Had written to the Prime Minister for allotment of coal |
| Odisha | Industry facing power shortage |
| Maharashtra | Load-shedding in peak hours likely. No power cuts for now |
| Tamil Nadu | Confident about supplying power for the next 10 days |
| West Bengal | No power cuts |
| Haryana | No power cuts |
Source: Media reports, 2021
Supply side problems
State governments are working round-the-clock to bring rail rakes loaded with coal. The Government of Rajasthan has also sent a team to visit power stations.
The director of thermal generation in Uttar Pradesh is on sick leave and the person in-charge — Sandeep Rastogi, chief of the Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam — has refused to comment on the status.
The managing director of Andhra Pradesh Power General Corp said coal was available only for two days and load-shedding was being carried out unofficially.
A senior official at the Punjab State Power Corp Ltd said coal was available for only three days and rail rakes were not coming regularly to replenish the stock. Therefore, the state had officially announced power cuts for three hours a day till October 13.
Venkateswara Rao, chief engineer of Tamil Nadu Power Generation Co Ltd said there was less supply of coal from the mines. However, the board had enough coal stocks to avoid any power cuts for the next 10-11 days.
He was also confident that sufficient coal rakes would come in the next few days as the state government was working to replenish the stocks.
Some 47 units of coal-based thermal power stations generated zero electricity October 11. Of these, 45 units of 14,655 megawatt (MW) had categorically mentioned that they had stopped generation because of coal shortages.
Coal units shut yesterday
| Plant name | Unit no | Capacity in MW |
| Swastik Korba TPP (Chhattisgarh) | 1 |
25.00 |
| Katghora TPP (Chhattisgarh) | 1 |
35.00 |
| GEPL TPP Ph-I (Maharashtra) | 1 |
60.00 |
| GEPL TPP Ph-I (Maharashtra) | 2 |
60.00 |
| Titagarh TPS (West Bengal) | 1 |
60.00 |
| Titagarh TPS (West Bengal) | 2 |
60.00 |
| Titagarh TPS (West Bengal) | 3 |
60.00 |
| Titagarh TPS (West Bengal) | 4 |
60.00 |
| Mihan TPS (Maharashtra) | 1 |
61.50 |
| Mihan TPS (Maharashtra) | 2 |
61.50 |
| Mihan TPS (Maharashtra) | 3 |
61.50 |
| Mihan TPS (Maharashtra) | 4 |
61.50 |
| SVPL TPP (Chhattisgarh) | 1 |
63.00 |
| Obra TPS (Uttar Pradesh) | 7 |
94.00 |
| Harduaganj TPS (Uttar Pradesh) | 7 |
105.00 |
| Barauni TPS (Bihar) | 6 |
105.00 |
| Parichha TPS (Uttar Pradesh) | 1 |
110.00 |
| Parichha TPS (Uttar Pradesh) | 2 |
110.00 |
| Giral TPS (Rajasthan) | 1 |
125.00 |
| Giral TPS (Rajasthan) | 2 |
125.00 |
| Salora TPP (Chhattisgarh) | 1 |
135.00 |
| Wardha Warora TPP (Maharashtra) | 1 |
135.00 |
| Shirpur TPP (Maharashtra) | 1 |
150.00 |
| Simhapuri TPS (Andhra Pradesh) | 1 |
150.00 |
| Simhapuri TPS (Andhra Pradesh) | 2 |
150.00 |
| Simhapuri TPS (Andhra Pradesh) | 3 |
150.00 |
| Simhapuri TPS (Andhra Pradesh) | 4 |
150.00 |
| Tuticorin (P) TPP (Tamil Nadu) | 1 |
150.00 |
| Tuticorin (P) TPP (Tamil Nadu) | 2 |
150.00 |
| Satpura TPS (Madhya Pradesh) | 6 |
200.00 |
| Satpura TPS (Madhya Pradesh) | 7 |
210.00 |
| Satpura TPS (Madhya Pradesh) | 8 |
210.00 |
| Satpura TPS (Madhya Pradesh) | 9 |
210.00 |
| Dr N Tata Rao TPS (Andhra Pradesh) | 2 |
210.00 |
| Kolaghat TPS (West bengal) | 2 |
210.00 |
| Paras TPS (Maharashtra) | 4 |
250.00 |
| Nashik (P) TPS (Maharashtra) | 1 |
270.00 |
| Nashik (P) TPS (Maharashtra) | 2 |
270.00 |
| Nashik (P) TPS (Maharashtra) | 3 |
270.00 |
| Nashik (P) TPS (Maharashtra) | 4 |
270.00 |
| Nashik (P) TPS (Maharashtra) | 5 |
270.00 |
| Butibori TPP (Maharashtra) | 1 |
300.00 |
| Butibori TPP (Maharashtra) | 2 |
300.00 |
| Utkal TPP (IND BARATH) (Odisha) | 1 |
350.00 |
| Vallur TPP (Tamil Nadu) | 3 |
500.00 |
| Durgapur Steel TPS (West Bengal) | 1 |
500.00 |
| Udupi TPP (Karnataka) | 2 |
600.00 |
Source: Central Electricity Authority, 2021
Most of these non-generating units are also old power units that have been stalling their retirement. Another cause of concern is that 70 power-generating units generated lesser electricity (5-20 million units lesser) October 12 than what they were programmed / planned to generate.
Actual versus planned generation-an analysis
| Actual generation lower than programmed (in million units) | Number of generating units |
| Less than 1* | 65 |
| 1< and <5* | 116 |
| 5< and <10 | 48 |
| 10< and <20 | 23 |
| Actual higher than programmed (in million units) | Number of generating units |
| Less than 1* | 129 |
| 1< and <5* | 155 |
| 5< and <10 | 31 |
| 10< and <20 | 8 |
Source: Central Electricity Authority, 2021
*Variations in generations in the range of less than 1 upto 5 million units electricity generation by power station units are common, larger deviations are a cause of concern
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