Nalco facing acute shortage of coal due to fall in coal production at Bharatpur Mines
Bhubaneswar, 21st Oct: The daily aluminium output in Nalco is likely to get adversely affected due to fall in coal production at Bharatpur mines of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) and discontinued import of coal from other states. Nalco had already shut down three units of its power plant owing to coal shortage. If the problem is not resolved at the earliest, production could face roadblocks confirmed the chairman cum Managing Director of the National Aluminium company.
Accoriding to the authorities, Nalco needs 17,500 metric tonnes of coal per day, But Bharatpur mines supplying only 13,000 metric tonnes. The linkage coal coming from Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh is also not accessible to the company. Amid such a scenario, the company had to resort to closure of three units of its 120-megawatt Captive Power Plant (CPP).
Presently, the company is able to sustain by borrowing 120-megawatt power from GRIDCO. Even then there is a deficit of 240-megawatt of power. Only 875 aluminium smelter pots are working out of the 960 due to lack of power supply, informed sources.
Similarly, there is a need of 180 Kilo ampere of power for operating the pot lines, but now it is running at much lower power which may lead to some mechanical problems, said sources.
There is a provision of storing 5 lakh metric tonnes of coal in the stock yard of Nalco. But now only 70,000 metric tonnes of coal is left in it that will not last even for a week in time of need. Nalco Employees’ Association has sought the intervention of Coal, Mines and Railway ministries to resolve the coal shortage issue. However, it is alleged that the government has not taken any action on it till date.
“The MCL should provide 5.6 million tonnes coal but they are unable to supply it due to some problem in production. The crunch is surely affecting Nalco and its profitability,” said the authority of the Nalco.
“I will hold discussions with authorities of Nalco and Coal Ministry. I will take steps after the discussion so that the company will not shut down and function properly,” said Odisha Steel and Mines Minister, Prafulla Mallick to Media.
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