The Ministry of Power said on Saturday it has issued a circular requesting the states to take action against imported coal-based power plants if they fail to maintain adequate coal stocks. "It has been reported that a number of power plants are taking much longer time than the norm in unloading coal from railway rakes which is affecting the turn-around time. CEA (central electricity authority) has been asked to monitor the unloading time at power plants and it has been decided that lesser number of rakes would be made available to such power plants where there is slackness in prompt unloading of coal from rakes," the Ministry of Power said. While the procurers are bound to pay the bills timely as per PPA, the Gencos (sellers) are bound to maintain adequate fuel stocks and offer availability as per PPA. "Not maintaining adequate fuel stocks or not giving availability on any pretext (such as high price of imported coal etc) is inexcusable.

Source: Economic Times March 26, 2022 23:44 UTC