By IANS
NEW DELHI: Amid a severe heatwave sweeping across India, the peak power demand in the country touched an all-time high of 207,111 MW on Friday, the Ministry of Power said.
“The maximum All India demand met touched 207111 MW at 14:50hrs today, an all-time high so far!,” the ministry tweeted.
Power demand has been on the rise ever since the onset of the summer season this year. The power demand met this month up to April 28 increased by 12.1 per cent to 204.653 GW from 182.559 GW during same period previous year, the ministry said.
The maximum all-India demand met on Thursday was 204,653 MW.
Meanwhile, Delhi Power Minister Satyendar Jain said on Friday that there is a severe coal crisis across the country and many power plants have just one day’s coal stocks left.
Raising the alarm over the ongoing coal crisis, Jain said, “No (power) backup (is there)… (the) coal backup should be for over 21 days, but at many power plants, less than a day’s (stock) is left.”
He added, “If electricity is being produced, and we keep getting it, there’s no issue. But if the power plant shuts down, it will be problematic (in Delhi)… There’s a coal shortage in the country.”
However, the NTPC later issued a statement that read: “All six units of Dadri and five units of Unchahar are running at full capacity and receiving regular coal supplies. Present stock is 140,000 MT and 95,000 MT, respectively, and import coal supplies are also in pipeline.”
It added: “Currently, Unchahar and Dadri stations are declaring more than 100 per cent rated capacity to the grid. All their units are running at full load except Unchahar Unit#1, which is under annual planned overhaul.”