Bangalore/New Delhi, Oct 18 (DHNS): Acute power shortages and shut down of generation units in Raichur Thermal Power Station (RTPS) is likely to ease following a decision by the Union Coal Ministry to supply additional coal to the Station on Monday.

Reviewing the coal supply situation, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal has asserted that all shortages will be met in the next three days.

State-run Coal India Limited (CIL) supplies 143 rakes to different thermal power projects in the country everyday. RTPS is also given some rakes depending on its requirement.

Supplies to the station had been hit badly by the strike in Singareni Collieries in Andhra Pradesh, where employees have joined the region-wide struggle for creation of a separate Telangana state.

As a result CIL has been supplying coal to Karnataka from Mahanadi Coal fields in Odisha and Western Coal fields in Nagpur, Maharashtra, the minister said.

Karnataka Energy Minister Shobha Karandlaje had complained to the coal ministry recently that supply of coal to the state had been falling short by six lakh tons from April to October due to the Andra situation.

Karandlaje had also asked the ministry to compensate the shortfall by supplying 13 lakh ton additional coal.

The shortfall had resulted in the shutting down of three of eight power generation units in RTS, causing severe power shortage in the state.

E-auction

While promising to offset the shortage, Jaiswal said that the state has to procure any further supplies through e-auctioning which CIL would start soon.

“Nearly 10 per cent of the coal supply has been committed for e-auctioning for the states. But we have also decided to release some of the quantity to the power sector in order to ease the temporary power crises,” a ministry official told Deccan Herald.

The coal will be allotted at a notified price on "as is where basis is," and commodity sold at spot market price. Lifting and transporting of the coal is the responsibility of the state power utilities.

The e-auctioning would put Karnataka in competition with other state power utilities to get additional coal.