Several States in India Hit by Power Outages as PM Modi Steps in to Review Energy Crisis

Several Indian states have voiced their concerns that they are facing complete blackouts as an extreme shortage of coal has affected electricity production in thermal power plants. Punjab raised the alarm that it only has enough coal left for a day, and Delhi Chief Arvind Kejriwal issued an alert that the national capital might face a blackout.

Several states in India that are complaining of diminished coal supplies from the federal government have reported that they are resorting to cutting power for several hours as a measure to handle the crisis.

States such as Rajasthan, Punjab, Jharkhand, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra have been forced to cut electricity supplies both in urban and rural areas.

Rajasthan has had less than half the amount it is contracted to receive from Coal India Ltd, the NDTV news channel website reported and consequently the state has decided to institute two-hour cuts in urban areas and four-hour cuts in rural areas.

In Punjab state, the government has warned of impending power cuts because of coal shortages during the peak agricultural season.

The state-run Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) announced on social media that a number of areas in Bengaluru (Karnataka state) will face power outages from 12 October.

ಬೆಸ್ಕಾಂ ಗ್ರಾಹಕರ ಗಮನಕ್ಕೆ,

ದಿನಾಂಕ 12.10.2021 ರಂದು ದಕ್ಷಿಣ ವೃತ್ತದ ಜಯನಗರ, ಕೋರಮಂಗಲ ಹಾಗೂ ಹೆಚ್.ಎಸ್.ಆರ್ ಲೇಔಟ್ ವಿಭಾಗಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಅಡಚಣೆ ಉಂಟಾಗಲಿದೆ.

ವಿದ್ಯುತ್ ಅಡಚಣೆಗಾಗಿ ವಿಷಾದಿಸುತ್ತೇವೆ. ಹೆಚ್ಚಿನ ಮಾಹಿತಿ ಅಥವಾ ದೂರುಗಳಿಗೆ ಬೆಸ್ಕಾಂ ಸಹಾಯವಾಣಿ 1912 ಅಥವಾ https://t.co/ZvIS80aHNb ಸಂಪರ್ಕಿಸಿ. pic.twitter.com/N3cNDnELEt

— Namma BESCOM (ನಮ್ಮ ಬೆಸ್ಕಾಂ) (@NammaBESCOM) October 10, 2021

This came hours after Karnataka state chief Basavaraj Somappa Bommai said he has urged the central government to increase his state's allocation of coal.

The state of Maharashtra saw 11 gigawatts of capacity under outage on 8 October and one of the reasons included coal shortages.

According to data from the Central Electricity Authority of India, nearly 80 percent of the country's thermal power plants that run on coal, were in a critical or super-critical stage and had stocks left for less than five days.

Delhi was recently said to have reserves left for only two days and Punjab said its stocks were so low, there wasn't enough to last two days.

Federal Power Minister R.K.Singh has claimed that the coal shortage is temporary and that the stocks are being replenished every day.

On Tuesday, reports suggested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to review the coal supply situation after Home Minister Amit Shah met Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi and Power Minister Singh a day earlier.

The federal government has come under severe attack from the opposition parties for not taking adequate steps to tackle the looming crisis.

Congress spokeswoman Dr Shama Mohamed slammed the central government for denying that the country is facing coal shortage.

Despite credible reports of widespread coal shortage across states like Punjab, the Centre denies it. The denial was expected from this dishonest govt. Will the govt also file FIRs against consumers who complain of power cuts on social media like it did during the Oxygen crisis

— Dr. Shama Mohamed (@drshamamohd) October 11, 2021