Amidst the ongoing crisis caused due to the spread of coronavirus pandemic, state-owned power giant NTPC, which was formerly known as National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd, said that its every power station has risen to the occasion and is performing at its optimum level.
Maharatna NTPC is having a total installed capacity of 62,110 MW, with 70 power stations including 24 coal plants, 7 combined cycle gas and liquid fuel plants, 1 hydropower plant, 13 renewable energy plants along with 25 joint venture (JV) power stations.
The Covid-19 pandemic has failed to dent the spirit of NTPC in providing uninterrupted power supply to the nation, under the support and guidance from the Power Ministry led by R.K. Singh, said the country’s largest power producer.
Significantly, among its fleet of power stations, NTPC Vindhyachal has become the largest power plant of the country which achieved 100 percent plant load factor (PLF) on April 13, 2020, i.e. run at its full capacity for a certain period. On average, the PLF of power plants hovers around sixty percent now, due to depressed demand and long term mismatch in demand projections by the CEA, whicb has led to excess capacity creation. .
Also, its second 660 MW unit of country’s first ultra-supercritical power station NTPC Khargone became commercially operational despite lockdown, a public sector undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Power said.
NTPC further stated that the coronavirus crisis has marked the significance of power utilities, which have assumed greater significance as electricity is extremely critical in the smooth functioning of several sectors of the economy.
Besides, it is also efficiently managing the coal supplies for the continuous supply of electricity, it added.
During such testing times, the employees of the company are working at the front line and ensure round the clock power supply.
Meanwhile, the company clarified that all its plants are strictly adhering to the guidelines w.r.t. lockdown and social distancing.