Ahead of the National Convention of Workers strike from March 28 to March 30, the Ministry of Power on Sunday issued advisory to states, central electricity authority (CEA), all RPCs, CPSUs, national load despatch centre (NLDC), regional load despatch centre (RLDC) to ensure maintaining and reliability of electricity grid during the strike.
As per news agency ANI, “Power Ministry issues advisory to States, CEA, All RPCs, CPSUs, NLDC, RLDCs to ensure maintaining and reliability of electricity grid during the strike called by National Convention of Workers from 28th to 30th March."
A nationwide strike against government policies was supposed to be held last month in February, however it was deferred in view of the third wave of Covid-19 pandemic. The joint platform of CTUs called upon the working people and their unions irrespective of affiliations to make the strike a massive success and save the nation from the destructive, anti-national policy regime.
Additionally, in a related development, the Ministry of Power on Saturday issued a circular requesting the states to take action against imported coal-based power plants if they fail to maintain adequate coal stocks.
"It has been reported that a number of power plants are taking much longer time than the norm in unloading coal from railway rakes which is affecting the turn-around time. CEA (central electricity authority) has been asked to monitor the unloading time at power plants and it has been decided that lesser number of rakes would be made available to such power plants where there is slackness in prompt unloading of coal from rakes," the Ministry of Power said.
"This step has been taken with the objective of maximising the utilisation of available railway rakes. Therefore, this aspect may be monitored at the level of State Government and unloading of coal may be ensured within the given norm," it said.
The ministry said it has been monitoring coal supply situation in the country and has taken steps to ensure adequate coal supply and coal stocks based on the domestic coal received from Coal India Limited (CIL), Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) and Captive coal mines.
As per decision taken in the Ministry of Power in consultation with State Gencos (power generation companies), Independent power producers (IPPs) and Central Gencos, domestic coal supply will be made proportional to the coal received from CIL/SCCL for all the Gencos and it will not be possible to give more coal other than on proportionate basis to make up any shortfall, the Ministry of Power said in a statement.
(With inputs from agencies)
