Coal news and updates

Indian power utilities’ Aug coal imports down 13.67% m-o-m

September 17: Imports of steam coal by Indian power utilities (both imported coal-based and domestic coal-based plants) in August 2014 declined by 13.67% to 6.25 million tons (mt) compared to 7.24 mt in July 2014, according to provisional data compiled by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and available with ICMW.

However, the imports in August 2014 were down 11.97% from 7.1 mt recorded in the same month of 2013.

Of the total imports in August this year, imports by domestic coal-based plants that are required to blend up to 15% of their total requirement with imported coal, stood at 3.04 mt, which was 67% of the target of 4.5 mt. 

These plants had imported 3.82 mt of coal in August 2013 and 3.69 mt in July 2014.

The imported coal-based plants, mainly located in the coastal areas, had brought in 3.22 mt of coal in August 2014, which was 97% of the target of 3.33 mt.

These plants had brought in 3.28 mt of imported coal in August 2013 and 3.55 mt in July 2013.

During the first five months (April-August) of 2014-15, imports of steam coal by Indian power utilities (both imported coal-based and domestic coal-based) stood at 36.45 mt as compared to 36.79 mt imported during the corresponding period of the previous fiscal.

Imports of steam coal by Indian power utilities (both imported coal-based and domestic coal-based) during 2013-14 stood at 79.39 mt, up 26.9% from 62.57 mt recorded during 2012-13.

During 2013-14, the domestic coal-based plants had brought in 37.34 mt of the fuel while the imported coal-based plants had brought in 42.06 mt as compared to 30.91 mt and 31.64 mt brought in by domestic coal-based plants and imported coal-based plants, respectively in the previous financial year.

The following chart provides the monthly break-up of coal imports by utilities in 2014-15 and 2013-14 (in mt):