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Bhubaneswar: Daily aluminium output at Nalco is likely to get adversely affected due to fall in coal production at Bharatpur mines of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) and discontinued import of coal from other states. Nalco had already shut down three units of its power plant owing to coal shortage. CMD of the company Tapan Kumar Chand confirmed that the production could face roadblocks if the problem is not resolved at the earliest.
While, Nalco needs 17,500 metric tonnes of coal per day, Bharatpur mines is only supplying 13,000 metric tonnes. The linkage coal coming from Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh is also not accessible to the company. Amid such a scenario, the company had to resort to closure of three units of its 120-megawatt Captive Power Plant (CPP).
Presently, the company is able to sustain by borrowing 120-megawatt power from GRIDCO. Even then there is a deficit of 240-megawatt of power. Only 875 aluminium smelter pots are working out of the 960 due to lack of power supply, informed sources.
Similarly, there is a need of 180 Kilo ampere of power for operating the pot lines, but now it is running at much lower power which may lead to some mechanical problems, said sources.
"We are presently left with only 70,000 metric tonnes of coal in our stock out of the one lakh metric tonnes. If the crisis continues the plant is likely to shut down within a few days," said a labour leader Nirmal Chandra Sathpathy.
"The law of Central Government is responsible and also the State Government which has fallen asleep after getting so much revenue from Nalco," said another labour leader Nirmal Kumar Samal.
There is a provision of storing 5 lakh metric tonnes of coal in the stock yard of Nalco. But now only 70,000 metric tonnes of coal is left in it that will not last even for a week in time of need. Nalco Employees' Association has sought the intervention of Coal, Mines and Railway ministries to resolve the coal shortage issue. However, it is alleged that the government has not taken any action on it till date.
"The MCL should provide 5.6 million tonnes coal but they are unable to supply it due to some problem in production. The crunch is surely affecting Nalco and its profitability," said Nalco CMD Tapan Kumar Chand.
"I will hold discussions with authorities of Nalco and Coal Ministry. I will take steps after the discussion so that the company will not shut down and function properly," said Odisha Steel and Mines Minister, Prafulla Mallick.
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