Coal news and updates

Power plants not lifting coal from SECL

April 2: Coal output at South Eastern Coalfields Ltd (SECL) may be affected if the power sector coal consumers do not lift their full quota, industry sources said.

"A number of thermal power plants are not lifting the quantity allotted to them. As a result, the company is understood to be mulling a go-slow on production," sources added.

SECL sources, however, were not available for comments.

The company has achieved a total production of 110.01 million tons (mt) during April-February, a growth of about 3.5% year-on-year. Its coal despatches stood at 110.33 mt during the period, slightly lower than the figure reported for the same period last year.

Already, the miner has significant unsold stocks of G3 and G4 grade coals, sources said, adding if other grades remain unclaimed, the company may go slow on production in the first quarter of 2014-15.