From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Oct 12: With two of Karnataka’s major thermal power plants left with hardly a day’s coal stock to generate power, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Energy Minister D K Shivakumar have urged the Centre to direct coal firms - Western Coalfields Limited (WCL), Singareni Collieries Company Limited and Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd - to ensure that the allocated coal was immediately supplied to the State.

The Chief Minister, who called on Union Minister for Power R K Singh in New Delhi on Thursday, along with Energy Minister D K Shivakumar, said the Raichur Thermal Power Station and Ballari Thermal Power Station were the mainstay of the State grid.

The two major thermal power plants were contributing nearly 70 miillion units per day.

However, RTPS has a day's coal stock while the BTPS has less than a day's coal stock.

The State Government has urged the Centre to direct the WCL to supply 13.11 lakh tonnes, including 5.85 lakh tonnes of coal MCL to supply 13.75 lakh tonnes and additionally 6 lakh tonnes of coal during during October 2017 - March 2018.

The Chief Minister requested Singh to direct the SCCL to supply 45 lakh tonnes during October 2017-March 2018 to RTPS to ensure regular generation of power.

The delegation also demanded allocation of Ghogarpalli and Did Side of Ghogarpalli Coal blocks in Odisha to Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) at the earliest.

In another memorandum, Siddaramaiah urged the Centre to review the transmission charges imposed on Karnataka.

There has been a significant increase in the transmission charges payable to Power Grid Corporation India Limited (PGCIL) by the State owing to amendment to the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission Regulations 2010, which came into effect from May 2015.

The transmission charges increased from Rs. 0.33 per unit in 2015 to Rs 0.94 per unit in 2017-18, which has increased the financial burden on the State, the Chief Minister said in his official memorandum.