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Finally, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray stepped in to tackle the present power crisis and the revival of load shedding after a gap of 12 years in Maharashtra. At the maiden review meeting

since the state is going through a power crisis, Thackeray asked the state energy department to target the power generation of 8,000 mw from the thermal power plants operated by the

MahaGenco in a bid to meet the rising demand. Currently, due to lack of adequate coal supply, the MahaGenco, with an installed capacity of its thermal power plants of 9,330 mw, could

generate between 6,200 mw and 7,200 mw.

Against MahaGenco’s daily coal requirement of 1,38,710 metric tonnes, it was receiving 1,24,497 to 1,26,000 metric tonnes.

Thackeray at the meeting which was attended by the energy minister Nitin Raut directed the administration to prepare short term and long term policies to make Maharashtra self-sufficient in

the electricity sector.

Chief Minister’s Office in a statement said the CM said it was good that in the last five days there was no load shedding in Maharashtra. However, he asked the energy department to do

comprehensive planning for power generation, coal reserves, imported coal and power purchases to maintain a similar situation in future too. CM will take a weekly review of the state power

sector and the steps taken to maintain an uninterrupted power supply in the state.

CM asked the energy department to focus on coal storage keeping in view the upcoming monsoon as the Centre has approved the import of 10% by states. He also instructed MahaGenco to regularly

pursue the adequate and good quality coal from the Centre. CM said he would personally speak to the union petroleum minister about the availability of gas for power generation at

MahaGenco’s gas-based unit at Uran in Raigad district.

Meanwhile, Raut informed that the micro-level planning done by the state energy department and MahaVitaran have yielded positive results as there was no load shedding in the last five days

in the state. In view of summer and inadequate coal supply, the state had faced a power deficit of 2,500 mw but it has been met.