Hyderabad, September 24 (Daily Kiran) : The Telangana government is responding to a significant halt in electricity production at the Yadadri Thermal Power Plant by deciding to procure G-9 grade coal from Mahanadi Coalfields and Coal India. This action comes under the directive of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, with energy department officials set to initiate the purchasing process.
Energy Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka announced that he will soon discuss the supply of G-9 grade coal with Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy. A high-level review meeting led by Chief Minister Reddy emphasized the need to ensure full power generation capacity at the Yadadri plant by the upcoming Dasara festival.
In a post on social media platform X, Vikramarka highlighted that the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government made poor decisions, leading to the plant’s location being far from coal mines. This resulted in an additional burden of nearly ₹40,000 crore for coal transportation on the state.
The Deputy Chief Minister noted that the lack of G-9 grade coal from Singareni and previous failures to participate in e-auctions have caused ongoing difficulties. To provide consistent, high-quality electricity to citizens, officials have been directed to expedite the temporary procurement of coal from Mahanadi Coalfields and Coal India.
Chief Minister Reddy has instructed Vikramarka to meet with the Union Coal Minister to address the coal shortage affecting power generation in the state. During the meeting, Reddy took the issue of halted power production seriously and sought updates on the supply of quality coal to thermal power units.
Officials informed the Chief Minister that G-9 grade coal is essential for the Yadadri Thermal Power Station. However, there are no coal blocks near Singareni capable of producing G-9 grade coal, and there are no prospects for production in the near future.
Reddy questioned the use of a specific technology in the construction of the Yadadri Thermal Power Station that requires only G-9 grade coal, which is not available in Singareni. The meeting also reviewed the additional economic burden on the state due to the plant’s distance from coal mines and the logistics of coal supply.
Both the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister inquired about the feasibility of sourcing G-9 grade coal from Singareni. Officials explained that Singareni cannot supply G-9 coal due to the previous government’s failure to bid in coal block auctions, and they noted that 14 coal blocks in Singareni have already been closed.
Meanwhile, a fact-finding team from the BRS is scheduled to visit key thermal power plants and the Singareni headquarters. This team, comprised of senior leaders, former ministers, and legislators, aims to assess the situation on the ground.
Directed by BRS Executive President K.T. Rama Rao, the exercise seeks to uncover facts related to management, project progress, and any delays or operational issues under the state government in the electricity sector.
Post-visit, the BRS plans to prepare a detailed report on the status of projects initiated during the KCR government and will respond to misinformation spread regarding these projects.
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