New Mahagenco units may not get coal

Six Mahagenco units are under various stages of construction but the biggest problem facing them is coal linkage. Mahagenco and Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Ltd (GSECL) had been allocated two captive blocks in Odisha in 2006. Even after passage of eight years, production has not started in Machchhakatta and Mahanadi blocks. Two 500 MW units of Chandrapur, three 660 MW units of Koradi and one 250 MW unit of Parli are supposed to get coal from the two blocks apart from some units in Gujarat. The state government has applied to coal ministry for tapering (temporary) linkage for these until production starts in Odisha. However, so far only the Parli unit has got the linkage.