As the coal stock at the Nalco captive power plant here dipped to only for two days low, Nalco authorities have regulated power supply to its smelter plant nearby. The power regulation will be in effect till the stock position stabilises, company sources said.
“Instead of normal requirement of 810 MW to run 960 pots, the current supply is at about 740 MW to 750 MW. However, in spite of power crisis there has been no cut in aluminium output from pots,” claimed the executive director of Nalco Mr KS Sreedharan. He said that the fire at rapid loading system at linked Bharatapur coal mine has not affected the coal supply to Nalco as loading has been on by other means from the coal field. It may be noted that there was a big fire at rapid loading point on the coal mine Bharatapur mine two days ago.
Of the nine 120 MW units, two units in the captive power plant are now shut down due to maintenance and other reasons. An average of 740 MW of power is produced from these seven working units. The eighth unit will be on stream after coal stock situation improves, Mr Sreedharan said. Nalco smelter has at present 960 working pots out of which 740 to 745 pots normally produces aluminium. The daily production comes about 1200 tonne. However Nalco is now eying on more supply from MCL so that they can build up stock and produce more power by operating eight units.