Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Jun 14: Udupi Power Corporation Ltd's (UPCL) thermal power plant functioning at Yellur near Padubidri in the district stopped generating power since Thursday June 12 evening. The power plant had to stop its activities due to acute coal shortage, sources said.

There are reports that present stock of coal at Raichur Thermal Power Plant Station (RTPS) at Raichur, which is the main source of thermal power in the state, as well as Bellary thermal power plant at Kudathini in Bellary6 district have only coal stock enough to generate power for the next six and ten days respectively, it is gathered.

Bellary power plant, which uses up 14,000 tonnes of coal every day, has a stock of 1,40,000 tonnes of coal now, which would be sufficient to work to its full capacity of 1,000 mw of power every day. On the other hands, the units at Raichur require 25,000 tonnes of coal each day, and the level of stock there now stands at 1.5 lac tonnes.

These are ominous signs that the state will plunge into darkness and production and other activities will suffer because of prolonged power layoffs, although there are hopes that hydel power generation will get augmented with the onset of monsoon.

RTPS officials are hopeful that their coal stock will get replenished in time as they expect railway wagons carrying coal to reach the town in time.