Centre asks UP to develop Saharpur Jamarpani coal block

New Delhi, Sep 17 (PTI) The Centre has advised the Uttar Pradesh government to take steps to develop the Saharpur Jamarpani coal block to secure long-term fuel security for its power plants and reduce dependence on external sources.

The coal block in Dumka district, Jharkhand, holding reserves of more than 973 million tonnes, was allotted to Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (UPRVUNL) on August 13, 2015, specifically to meet the coal requirement of its thermal power projects, the Coal Ministry said in a statement.

The mine was allotted by the Coal Ministry under the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015.

More than ten years since the allotment, no progress has been made towards operationalisation of the block on account of a lack of requisite initiative by UPRVUNL. As a result, the entire coal requirement of Uttar Pradesh’s power plants continues to be met by Coal India Ltd (CIL).

The Coal Ministry and Coal India Limited remain fully committed to supplying coal to the entire country, including Uttar Pradesh.

At the same time, the ministry advised Uttar Pradesh to accord priority to the early development of its captive coal block at Saharpur Jamarpani, so as to build long-term fuel security for its thermal power plants and reduce dependence on external coal sources.

“As of September 15, 2026, none of the thermal power plants of Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (UPRVUNL) is in the critical-stock category,” the ministry said, rejecting media reports.

Recent media reports have indicated that Uttar Pradesh is facing a severe power shortage on account of a disruption in coal supply, it said, adding that the current stock position, therefore, does not indicate any critical coal availability constraint at the plant end.

The coal stock position at UPRVUNL’s thermal power plants has been improving steadily. Stock stood at 7.25 lakh tonnes (LT) on September 1, 2026, and rose to 8.41 LT by September 15, 2026.

Over the last seven days, average daily coal receipt of around 0.90 LT has exceeded average daily consumption of around 0.83 LT, reflecting a continuing build-up of stock.

This improvement is also reflected in sustained rail supplies — over the last 10 days, CIL supplied an average of around 17.7 rakes/day to UPRVUNL’s power plants.

CIL has additionally offered extra quantities under Road/RCR mode to all gencos/IPPs, including UPRVUNL, on September 3, 2026, to further build up stock at thermal power plants (TPPs).

Unloading constraints at various plants, which lead to periodic restrictions on rake placement by the Railways, limiting further augmentation of coal supplies.

UPRVUNL is a wholly-owned state thermal and hydro power utility with present generating capacity of 9646.40 MW, operating 6 Thermal Power Stations and 7 Hydro Power Stations within Uttar Pradesh. PTI ABI ABI BAL BAL

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