Power Projects Worth Rs 36,000 Crore Stuck For Want Of Coal

Power projects worth around Rs 36,150 crore and a generation capacity of 7,230 MW are stuck on account of coal shortage, Coal, Power and Renewable Energy Minister Piyush Goyal informed the Lok Sabha.

“As far as coal-based thermal power plants are concerned, a capacity of 7,230 MW is already commissioned but having no coal supply. Considering an indicative cost of Rs 5 crore per MW, an investment of about Rs 36,150 crore has been made in the execution of these projects,” Goyal said.

The ministry has taken some steps, including issuance of advisory to import coal, to address the shortcoming.

As per the advisory, the cost of imported coal would be made a pass through on case-to- case basis by the regulators to the extent of shortfall in the quantity indicated in the letter of assurance or the fuel supply agreement.

The minister said the government is “making efforts to make adequate fuel available for power generation through coal companies.”