Indian power cos’ Q3 FY15 coal imports up 35% y-o-y
13 Jan 2015
January 13: Imports of steam coal by Indian power utilities during the quarter ended December 31, 2014 (October-December) of 2014-15 increased 34.85% to 24.991 million tons (mt) compared to 18.533 mt recorded during the corresponding quarter of 2013-14, according to provisional data compiled by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and available to ICMW.
During the previous quarter (Q2) of 2014-15, coal imports by the power utilities stood at 21.156 mt.
In fact, imports of steam coal by Indian power utilities during the first nine months (April-December) of 2014-15 increased 15.56% to 68.759 mt compared to 59.502 mt recorded during the corresponding period of 2013-14, as per the CEA data.
A weak trend in international coal prices appears to have encouraged imported coal-based utilities to go in for higher imports, industry experts believe.
Of the total imports during the period, 32.337 mt was brought by imported coal-based power plants, up 3.74% from 31.171 mt imported in the same period of the previous year.
However, imports by domestic coal-based power plants, which use imported coal for blending, rose 19.73% to 36.422 mt from 30.419 mt in the same period of last year.
In December, imports by power utilities touched a record 8.499 mt, up 1.02% as compared to 8.413 mt imported in November, largely due to higher imports by imported coal-based plants, the data revealed.
Imports in December were the highest so far in 2014-15.
Volumes brought into India by imported-coal based utilities during the month, also rose 14.56% to 4.028 mt (provisional) as compared to 3.516 mt imported in November.
However, imports by domestic coal-based utilities during the month dropped by 8.69% to 4.471 mt (provisional) in December from 4.897 mt (revised) in November.
The following chart provides the monthly break-up of coal imports by utilities in 2014-15 and 2013-14 (in mt):
|
2014-15 |
2013-14 |
||||||
Months |
Imported Coal Based plants# |
Domestic coal based plants# |
During the month # |
Since April 14* |
Imported Coal Based plants# |
Domestic coal based plants# |
During the month # |
Since April 13* |
April |
3.329 |
3.851 |
7.18 |
7.18 |
3.954 |
2.557 |
6.511 |
6.511 |
May |
3.876 |
3.94 |
7.816 |
14.996 |
4.231 |
3.996 |
8.227 |
15.157 |
June |
4.507 |
3.109 |
7.616 |
22.612 |
3.158 |
4.28 |
7.438 |
22.595 |
July |
2.86 |
4.727 |
7.587 |
30.199 |
3.556 |
3.914 |
7.47 |
29.666 |
August |
3.06 |
3.508 |
6.568 |
36.767 |
3.283 |
3.819 |
7.102 |
36.788 |
September |
2.937 |
4.064 |
7.001 |
43.768 |
3.261 |
3.048 |
6.309 |
43.478 |
October |
4.224 |
3.855 |
8.079 |
51.847 |
3.67 |
3.151 |
6.821 |
50.064 |
November |
3.516 |
4.897 |
8.413 |
60.26 |
2.868 |
2.122 |
4.99 |
52.78 |
December |
4.028 |
4.471 |
8.499 |
68.759 |
3.19 |
3.532 |
6.722 |
59.502 |
January |
|
|
|
|
2.914 |
3.227 |
6.141 |
65.644 |
February |
|
|
|
|
3.473 |
2.516 |
5.989 |
71.633 |
March |
|
|
|
|
4.275 |
3.042 |
7.317 |
79.39 |
Total (Apr-Dec) |
32.337 |
36.422 |
|
|
31.171 |
30.419 |
|
59.502 |
Total (Apr-Mar) |
32.337 |
36.422 |
|
68.759 |
42.055 |
37.335 |
|
79.39 |
* Figures for previous months (Apr-Sep) of 2014-15 have been revised on Nov 18, 2014. |
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# Provisional |