Coal news and updates

Coal stocks at India’s power plants continue to rise

India Coal Market Watch

 December 4: The coal stock levels at about 100 thermal power plants monitored by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) continued to rise on higher domestic production and higher supplies to the sector amidst indication of increased rake availability.

 According to CEA data, the coal stocks at these plants rose to 26.779 million tons (mt) on December 2, 2015 from 26.011 mt on November 25, 2015. On a month-on-month basis, the stock was up more than 3 mt compared to 23.629 mt as on November 2, 2015.

 The stocks of coal at power plants level was only 10.972 mt a year ago on December 2, 2014.

 With the rise in coal stock levels, the number of plants facing critical coal stocks position of less than seven days stood at two on December 2, one on November 25 and seven on November 2, 2015. However, the figure was 53 on December 2, 2014.

 Like previous week on November 25, only one plants were identified as facing a super-critical coal stock level of less than four days as on December 22, 2015. The total number of such plants stood at 4 on November 2, 2015 and at a high of 27 as on December 2, 2014.

 Of the total coal stocks as on December 2, 2015, imported coal inventory was at 1.578 mt and domestic coal was 25.201 mt while on November 25, 2015, imported coal inventory was at 1.630 mt and domestic coal was 24.380 mt.

 On the other hand, on November 2, 2015, imported coal inventory was at 1.112 mt and domestic coal at 22.517 mt., while on December 2, 2014, imported coal inventory was at 1.269 mt and domestic coal at 9.703 mt.

 Following table shows coal stocks position at power plants on various days: