Coal India Chairman and Managing Director, S. Narsingh Rao, on Monday said that it is not possible to meet the complete coal demand from indigenous sources till the 13th Five-Year Plan period. This is despite Coal India’s production growing at 8-9 per cent.
“We need to supply coal to additional 90,000 MW capacity over the 306 million tonnes supplied to thermal electricity generation plants currently,’’ Rao said at the Fourth Coal Summit 2012.
During the 12th Five-Year Plan, India would face a supply gap of 185 mt. Coal production by the terminal year of 12th Plan is likely to touch 795 mt, after an incremental production of 255 mt compared to the previous Five-Year Plan.
During the 11th Five-Year plan, coal production was increased by 110 mt and there was a gap of 140 mt.
“Environmental and technical issues need to be addressed,’’ Rao said.
Coal India Chairman said that the company would introduce a mechanism of “internal environmental audit’’. This would be treated as important as production and offtake, he added.
Coal India Chairman said that the production was hit due to Neelam cyclone. At the same time, because of festival season production was low.
The company targets to produce 129 mt in the third quarter of the current financial year. Till now, 30 fuel supply agreements have been signed, Narsingh said.