Coal news and updates

Coal stock at power plants builds up to 9 days

India's 136 coal-based power projects, totalling 166.109 giga watt (GW), have fuel stock for up to nine days, the union coal ministry said on Monday.

This comes in the backdrop of fuel stocks at coal-fuelled power projects building up after depleting to 7.23 million tonnes (mt) on 8 October. India’s power plants burn around 1.85-1.87 mt of coal every day to generate electricity.

"The coal stock at 136 number of power plants of 166109 MW capacity which are linked to coal companies is 16.63 Million Tonnes (MT) as on 24.11.21 and is sufficient for 9 days requirement," coal, mines and parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

Mint earlier reported about the government’s plan to build a total coal fuel stock of 16 mt by end November.

“The coal stock at power plants has increased from 7.2 MT as on 08.10.21 to 16.63 MT as on 24.11.21. The coal stock at CIL pithead end was 40.23 MT as on 08.10.2021 and 32.30 MT as on 24.11.2021. There is neither power crisis nor coal shortage," the statement added.

The depleted fuel stocks at power plants had led to concerns about a possible electricity shortage. This assumes significance given that coal-fuelled power projects totalling 202.22 gigawatt (GW) remain the mainstay of India’s power generation and account for more than half of India’s power generation capacity.

“The coal supply to power plants in the month of November 2021 is more than the consumption, resulting in increase in coal stock at power plants end. This trend is likely to continue in the coming months," the statement said.

India has the world’s fourth-largest reserves and is the second-largest producer of coal. While CIL’s annual production target is 660 mt for the current financial year, the coal off take is expected to be 740 mt.