Coal news and updates

70% of coal fired- power plants have critical coal stocks: MoC

July 8: Seventy of the 100 coal-based power plants in India monitored by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) are running with either critical coal stocks of less than seven days’ requirement or super-critical coal stocks of less than four days’ requirement, as on June 29, 2014, said Piyush Goyal, Minister of State for Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy (Independent Charge), according to an official statement by the Ministry.

In the 44 plants running with critical coal stocks, Maharashtra has the highest number while among 26 plants running with super-crucial coal stocks, Chhattisgarh has 4.

In a study, done jointly by the MoC and Planning Commission, India’s demand for coal-based power utilities during 2014-15 is likely to reach 551.60 million tons (mt), whereas the supply of coal to this sector has been projected to be 466.89 mt during 2014-15.

Supply of coal to power utilities from Coal India Limited (CIL) sources during April-June, 2014 has been 88.66 mt as against the Annual Action Plan (AAP) target of 101.61 mt with a materialisation of 87%.

The minister further stated that during April-May, 2014, coal-based power plants generated 134.9 billion units (BU) as compared to 121.2 BU generated during the same period of last year, registering a growth of 11.3%.

Following are the thermal power plants (TPPs) affected for want of coal as on 29.06.2014, state-wise:

Source: Ministry of Coal