Mahanadi Coalfield (MCL) received request from Odisha Power Generation Corporation (OPGC) to take necessary steps to restore supply of good quality of coal.

It is learnt that the state owned thermal power producer has been sustaining huge losses in production owing to poor quality of coal supplied by MCL from its Lakhanpur coal mines.

OPGC is said to be using less than 290 mw out of its total installed capacity of 420 mw even though coal is fed at a rate beyond the design of the plant. MCL, however, said there are no issues with the coal quality as it supplies G12 grade of coal as per the requirement of the power station.

Even in the past OPGC complained about the quality of coal from MCL. In July 2012, the then energy secretary G Mathi Vathanan had also written to the MCL CMD stating that coal supplied from the company's Lakhanpur mines has been quite poor and inconsistent.

It may be noted that OPGC is pursuing its capacity addition plan at Ib valley wherein it will add two supercritical units of 660 mw each.

The corporation recently signed a contract agreement with Bharat Heavy Electricals for supply of main plant of the equipment consisting of boiler, turbine and generator at a deal valued at Rs 4,051 crore.