Jain asserted that there was “a power crisis in the country”. The Centre can start working on finding a solution to it only when it accepts the reality.
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain (IANS photo)
Delhi Power Minister Satyendar Jain said on Monday that the city used to get about 4000 MW of electricity from the Central government’s National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), but now the NTPC was not able to supply even half of it. This is a matter of concern as well as proof that there is a power crisis in the country.
Addressing a press conference, Jain said if there was no power crisis as the Central was asserting, then why were there power cuts across the country? Why did Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath write a letter to the Central government in this regard?
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Jain asserted that there was “a power crisis in the country”. The Centre can start working on finding a solution to it only when it accepts the reality.
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Jain pointed out, “No power plant should have a coal stock of less than 15 days. Right now, most of the power plants have two-three days of coal stock left. All NTPC plants are working at a 50 to 55 per cent capacity. The Central government should explain why there is a coal crunch in the county.”
Commenting on the stand taken by Union Energy Minister R K Singh that “there is no coal crisis”, Jain said, “If the Central government is saying that there is no power crisis, then why did Yogi Adityanath write a letter to it? It is obvious that the letter was written because the problem exists.”
He said, “The demand for electricity in Delhi at present is low. At one time, the electricity demand was more than 7300 MW, but now it has come down to 4562 MW. Even then, we have to buy electricity at the rate of Rs 17 to Rs 20 per unit. The Delhi government has entered into a power purchase agreement with the NTPC, but they have cut power production at their plants by 50 per cent.”
According to the agreement, during 85 per cent of the time in a year the NTPC has to provide complete power supply and during15 per cent of the time it can go up to 55 per cent. But this cannot be done for all the plants at the same time, he pointed out.
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