The Ministry of Coal on Tuesday assured that there is adequate quantity of coal in the country for meeting the rising power demand with cumulative stocks at 86 million tonnes as of August 2023.
“The Ministry of Coal reaffirms adequate availability of coal for meeting the increasing energy demand in the country. The efficient coal supply to thermal power plants (TPPs) has ensured robust coal stock position at various pitheads. This indicates both sufficient coal stock and the efficiency of the coal supply chain in ensuring seamless distribution across the country,” the Ministry said.
The overall coal stock position at mines, domestic coal-based (DCB) plants and in transit reached a commendable 86 mt on August 31compared to 68.76 mt year-ago, which is an annual growth of 25.08 per cent.
Additionally, the pithead coal stock at Coal India (CIL) as of August 31 stands at 45.33 mt, demonstrating a notable growth of 45.66 per cent Y-o-Y. This higher coal stock position indicates commitment of maintaining an ample supply of coal by the Ministry and highlights effective stock management strategies and operational efficiency.
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“Moreover, there has been a significant 53.13 per cent decline in the import of thermal coal for DCB (TPPs) (for blending) from 19.2 MT (April-August 2022) to 9 MT (April-August 2023). This decline underscores our strong commitment to prioritizing domestic production and achieving self-sufficiency in coal supply,” Coal Ministry pointed out.
In terms of coal dispatch to the power sector, the cumulative achievement for FY24 (April-August), amounted to 324.50 MT, marking a noteworthy growth of 5.80 per cent Y-o-Y. This substantial increase ensures a consistent and robust coal supply to meet the energy needs of the power sector.
Thermal power generation increased by 6.58 per cent Y-o-Y reaching 517.34 billion units (BU) during April-August of FY24.
Further, the consistent availability of coal rakes, which are pivotal for transportation ensures a seamless evacuation process, effectively mitigating transportation bottlenecks and assuring an uninterrupted coal supply, it added.