Karnataka Power Corporation
Ltd has requested the coal
ministry to expedite
allocation of coal linkage for its 500-
mw Unit II of Bellary thermal
power plant. The plant requires 2.5
million tonnes per annum to
function at its full capacity, for
which the utility has been allotted
captive coal blocks. However, the
coal block is likely to start
production in about five years,
whereas the unit is scheduled for
commissioning in November 2011.
The Bellary plant already has one
unit of 500 mw in operation.
The coal for the project was to be
sourced from the enhanced
production Baranj I-IV,
Manoradeep, Kiloni captive coal
blocks, located in the Wardha valley
coalfields in the Chandrapur
district of Maharashtra. The
captive coal block for the project
has recently received the approval
for revised mining plan on August
24, 2011, which is also the zero date
of the project.
According to the utility, a
minimum of 60 months period from
the zero date is necessary to achieve
the enhanced coal production of 2.5
million tonnes per year to meet the
requirements of Bellary Unit II, in
addition to the annual requirements
of Bellary Unit I of 2.5 million
tonnes, totaling to 5 million tonnes.
KPCL also informed the coal
ministry that it had executed the
fuel supply agreement with
Mahanadi Coalfields for supply of
coal to Bellary Unit-II in December
2010. However, the coal company
has requested to obtain clarification
from the coal ministry on the issue
of coal block for facilitating
immediate supply of coal. In view of
this, the utility requested the coal
ministry to issue necessary
instructions to MCL to supply
required coal to the project for a
period of five years.
The pre-mining and mining
activities have been framed by
Karnataka EMTA Coal Mines Ltd, a
joint venture company of KPCL and
EMTA. The original mining plan
submitted by KECML indicated
that the blocks allotted to the
utility were for fueling a KPCL's
Raichur thermal power station,
whereas the blocks had been
allotted to KECML to meet the coal
requirements of a Bellary thermal
power plant. In view of this, the
company was asked to revise the
mining plan and submit it for
approval again.