After crying foul over acute scarcity of coal, state-run power generating companies (gencos) have begun facing the problem of plenty.

Power producers of seven states have asked state-run Coal India (CIL) to go slow on supplies saying they are running out of storage space for the fuel.

The states include Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

?It came as a pleasant surprise to us. The state electricity boards have said that coal stocks have surpassed 15-day quantity while in some cases it is as high as 35 days. If this is so, then where is the case for a paucity?? coal secretary Sanjay Kumar Srivastava said.

The first company to raise the issue was the West Bengal Power Development Corporation (WBPDCL) whose CMD Barun Kumar Ray wrote to CIL chief S Narsing Rao on April 4 saying that coal stocks at thermal power stations in West Bengal have reached ?alarming? levels.

?WBPDCL has been burdened with excess coal for the last six months due to more than fuel supply agreement (FSA) despatches,? Ray said.

The key fear among CIL?s buyers is that large coal stocks during the summer are prone to catching fire, which can become an onerous task to douse it and then arrange coal to fire the turbines.

The power producers in the other six states too have resisted more supply from CIL citing storage constraints.

?This is a strange situation for us. After having criticised us so far for inadequate output, we are now being asked to curtail supplies. We are committed to fulfil our production targets, which cannot be lowered,? CIL chief S Narsing Rao said.

This reluctance by state power producers to accept despatches has the Railways concerned, for coal transport is the backbone of its freight operations.

Supplies from CIL to power utilities of the country during grew to 343.79 million tonne in 2012-13, up 10 per cent over the previous year.

PROBLEM OF PLENTY

* State-run producers fear that large stocks in summer are prone to catching fire, the reason for seeking reduction in supplies

* CIL says it is committed to supplying as per the fuel supply pact

* The Railways too are worried as coal forms the backbone of its freight earnings and has earmarked rakes for power gencos.