Angul, Sept. 24: Even as the power crisis arising out of coal shortage deepens, the National Aluminium Company (Nalco) shut down another 60 pots at its aluminium smelter plant here yesterday.

Earlier this month, the plant authorities had shut down 60 pots following a crisis in the availability of coal.

The company’s director (production) said: “It is a temporary measure till the power situation stabilises in a month. Coal supply has been fluctuating, causing a lower output at our power plant. This has forced us to close down some pots for the time being.”

A senior Nalco official here said that out of the total 960 pots at the smelter plant, 807 pots are running. “While 120 others have been shut down because of the power crisis, the remaining pots were closed for other reasons, such as maintenance. The aluminium production has come down from the usual 1,200 tonne to 1,000 tonne per day,” the official said.

Against the normal requirement of power of 800 Mega Watt for the smelter plant, the plant is getting an average 600 Mega Watt from its captive power plant — a shortfall of 200 Mega Watt per day — throwing the plant into crisis for the first time since its inception in 1986. Nalco is now importing power to the tune of 100MW to 160MW daily to make up for the deficit.

Earlier this month, Nalco authorities had shut down two units in its captive power plant here following low supply of coal from the Mahanadi Coalfields mines at Talcher. This has lowered the power output at the power plant and affected pot operation in the smelter.

“Since the beginning of this month, the supply has been about 7,000 tonnes against the requirment — 11,500 tonnes per day on an average to run six units on full steam. The total coal requirement per day is 17,000 tonne of coal per day to operate eight units with a capacity of 110MW each,” said the Nalco official.

He dispelled the fear that more pots would shut down in future because of power shortage saying that after the rainy season is over, the flow of coal would improve from Talcher mines stabilising the power output at the Nalco power plant.

Normal Samal, the working president of trade union Nalco Employees Sangh, said: “We urge the local MP and MLAs as well as district authorities to prevail over Mahanadi Coalfields to ensure more coal supply to save Nalco from its current crisis. The fourth pot line which came up in 2009 was also affected.”

Mahanadi Coalfields in a press release said that so far it had met 96 per cent of the coal requirement of Nalco power plant.