Power generation at National Thermal Power Corporation’s (NTPC’s) Kahalgaon unit has been capped at 80 to 81 per cent of its 2,340MW capacity following a Central Electricity Authority (CEA) directive.

The CEA order to maintain the grid discipline policy has forced NTPC, Kahalgaon, and many other power generation companies to produce electricity according to the demands of the grids. In case of any default such as generation of less or more electricity against the requirement of the grid concerned, the power generating company would have to pay heavy penalty.

The CEA had implemented the policy soon after August 31, 2012, the day when the entire northern part of the country had plunged into darkness after grids tripped one after the other.

According to sources, the country requires 4,00,000MW, while NTPC, along with other power generation companies in the country, manage to fulfil half of that. According to sources, among other power companies, NTPC generates 41,184MW of electricity on which over 27.4 per cent of the country’s total population depends.

“We have the infrastructure to increase electricity generation but we are bound to follow the CEA instruction,” said an NTPC official, wishing anonymity.

NTPC, Kahalgaon, general manager (in-charge) P.K. Mohapatra, however, said: “We could easily generate cent per cent of our production capacity but because of the grid’s requirement, we have to produce 80-81 per cent only. We have sufficient coal and are properly equipped on all technical aspects but we are still not in a position to meet our cent per cent target because of the CEA directive.”