Tangedco forms separate coal quality assurance wing as per CAG report

CHENNAI: Tangedco has formed a separate coal quality assurance wing accepting the recommendation of the Comptroller Audit General report pointing to the lack of such a quality assessment system.

In the order dated February 7, Tangedco has formed the coal quality assurance wing headed by the superintendent engineer of the mechanical/mines directly reporting to the Director (Generation) of the utility. The wing will also comprise one executive engineer and two assistant executive engineers.

A centralised laboratory exclusively for testing coal in Chennai with the latest testing equipment will function at Basin Bridge gas turbine station.

In the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) on public sector undertakings in Tamil Nadu for the year ended March 31, 2019, it has been stated that the efficiency and effectiveness of the present system of assessment of quality and quantity of coal both at collieries end as well as TPS end is fraught with several organisational, practical, logistical, procedural and human resources issues.

"Therefore the present system does not offer adequate assurance for assessment of coal quality and quantity thereby accuracy in computation of station heat rate (SHR) and specific coal consumption (SCC) of TPS. Tangedco should revamp the entire system of assessment of quality and quantity of coal in order to reduce the cost of generation and tariff, " the order quoted the CAG report.

CAG report recommended constituting a separate quality assurance wing for ensuring the quality of coal and all types of materials and equipment procured by Tangedco. It added that the coal procurement for both domestic and imported coal and quality assurance should be done by different agencies and the quality assurance wing head should directly report to the Director (Generation).