Power crisis to deepen, huge outstanding with WBPDCL, ECL stops supply of coal to state power units

Santanu Saraswati

Kolkata, April 22—All state-run thermal power generation stations would have to stop generating electricity from May 15, as the main coal supplier—the Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) has stopped supplying coal from April 16 because of a long pending outstanding of over Rs 140 crores. The power generation stations are presently running with the coal they have stored for the monsoon this year.

A highly placed official with the ECL confirmed that the outstanding is lying pending since last year with no initiative from the generation company to repay the money, not even in instalment.

The situation would not only sink the whole state into darkness, at the same time lead the city perspiring in hot summer days as CESC imports more than 450-mega watts from the state board to keep the city’s power supply uninterrupted.

Though, neither the state power department nor the West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited (WBPDCL) authorities have accepted this fact, but an order from general manager (sales & marketing) to all ECL outlets strictly directed not to send fossil fuel to the state-run generation stations at Sagardighi, Bakreshwar, Kolaghat, Bandel, and Santaldih.

The ECL letter in possession with Hindustan Times and dated April 16 and undersigned by deputy chief sales manager, V K Singh, to all areas of operation strictly said: “It is observed that some of the areas are loading advance rakes on account of WBPDCL without consent from the general manager (sales & marketing), ECL. As directed by the general manager (sales & marketing), ECL, you are advised not to load any advance rake on account of WBPDCL) without approval from him as there is huge outstanding dues on account of WBPDCL. Any deviation from this will be viewed seriously.”

The copy of the letter has been sent to general manager (sales & marketing), ECL, P Roy, HOD, ECL, Kolkata, Sailen Ghosh, SOM, ECL, Kolkata and Kajal Chatterjee, senior manager, ECL camp, DRM office, Asansol for information and needful action. The letter was send to Ghosh directing him to ensure that allotment is done by Railways strictly as per ECL’s offer particularly in case of WBPDCL power plant.

“ECL is a BIFR company. We are trying to revive its financial health. It can’t run keeping huge dues pending with the customers. We never face such type of problems with Tamil Nadu Power Development Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) or Karnataka Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL),” Coal India Limited chairman, Partha S Bhattacharya told Hindustan Times.

WBPDCL takes coal from three companies—ECL, Mahanadi Coal Company Limited (MCCL) and Bengal Emta apart from its own coalmine at Tara in Raniganj. But ECL supplies more than 70 per cent of WBPDCL’s requirement. It gets 19,140 metric tonnes of fossil fuel from ECL daily, which means 330 wagons full of coal to run its generation units all over the state. The rest 30 per cent comes from the other two coal supplying agencies, but on ‘cash and carry’ system. The WBPDCL has credit facility only with ECL.

Though neither the state power minister, Mrinal Banerjee, nor the additional chief secretary, power department, Sunil Mitra or the managing director, WBPDCL, Suhriday Mahapatra agreed to comment on this issue, an official with the generation company said: “We are presently running with the coal reserve for monsoon. But from May 15, all our generation station would stop if no solution is found to settle this score.”
EOM
santanu_saraswati@hotmail.com