New Delhi, May 18 (IANS): Union Power Minister R.K. Singh has written to various states asking them to direct state gencos to take immediate steps to import coal for blending in order to meet their requirement during the monsoon season.

The Minister, in separate letters to Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and West Bengal, has expressed concern that the tender process for coal import has either not started or not completed in these states. He asked the state gencos to lift entire quantity of coal offered under RCR mode expeditiously to build coal stock.

He stressed that in case of failure on either account, it would not be possible to give additional domestic coal to make up the shortfall.

Also if the RCR allocation is not lifted, it will be allocated to other needy state gencos and if present state of affairs continues, it may lead to shortage of coal in states during monsoon, adversely affecting the power supply situation in the states, he warned.

Singh highlighted that due to increase in demand and consumption of electricity, the share of coal-based generation has increased and the total coal consumption by power plants has also increased. He added that materialisation of domestic coal is only about 88 per cent of total requirements.

In order to ensure minimum required coal stocks in power plants before the onset of monsoon, the Minister directed that the thermal power plants owned by the state gencos and IPPs must use all the sources to maintain adequate coal stock.