Acute coal shortages are triggering power outage in many states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh as thermal plants across the country continue to grapple with coal shortage and early onset of summer due to climate change.
Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, which was usually witnessing peak demand in the month of May till last year, was hit by intense heat wave in March this year thus increasing the electricity demand.
“Jammu & Kashmir is doing much better than many states when it comes to supplying electricity. The average power demand is 2400 MW and our supply is 2061 MW. We are ready to buy more power from the market but the supply at energy exchange is scarce due to increased demand nationwide and insufficient coal stocks at thermal plants. Around 100 of the 173 power plants are facing coal shortage and situation is expected to be normalized within a week,” a chief engineer from Trading department, J&K UT said.
It is learnt that Power Development Department (PDD), Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir is purchasing power from the energy exchange at Rs.12 per unit and supplying to the people at Rs. 3.5 per unit to ensure maximum supply during the scorching summer and auspicious hours of Ramadhan.
According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data, March 2022 was the hottest March in India’s 122 year old recorded weather history. Similarly.—KMS
