Enough coal to get through polls

With the country facing Lok Sabha polls, the Centre has said thermal power plants across the country have enough coal stock to prevent any disruptions during the hotly contested elections in the next two months.

According to the latest report by the Central Electricity Authority, there is no critical situation in any thermal power plants in the country.

The report says all 127 thermal power plants together have 29 million tonnes of coal, which is sufficient to keep the plants running for at least 17 days.

"For the first time in recent years, no plant is in a critical situation, This is due to an increase in coal production and supply, which has led to sufficient supply of fossil fuel across the country," said an official in the Ministry of Coal.

In mid October last year, 30 power plants were facing shortage of coal. 17 of these had stock for just four days while 13 plants had stock for 7 days.

Thermal power plants are mandated to have coal stock for at least 15 days.

For power stations away from coal mines, coal stock of less than seven days is termed critical and below four days is considered super critical.

For pithead plants, coal stock of less than five days is considered critical and less than three days is considered super critical.