Coal news and updates

Sharp fall in April-February PLF of Indian power plants

Despite higher coal availability, the plant load factor (PLF) of coal-fired Indian power plants that are monitored by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) declined sharply during the first 11 months (April-February) of 2015-16.

According to CEA data, the PLF of coal-fired power plants during the period fell to 61.83% from a high of 64.27% during the corresponding period of 2014-15.

Not only coal-fired plants, the PLF of lignite-fired as well as nuclear plants also declined during the period.

While the PLF of lignite-fired plants fell to 69.98% during the first 11 months of 2015-16 from 74.63% in 2014-15, that of nuclear plants declined to 72.74% from a high of 79.86% during the corresponding period of the previous financial year.

In February 2016, the PLF of coal-fired plants fell to 64.57% from 65.18% in February 2015. Lignite-fired plants’ PLF fell to 76.33% in February 2016 from a high of 80.96% in the same month of 2015.

The PLF of nuclear-fired plants in February 2016 fell to 74.01% from a high of 90.13% in the same month last year.