Coal news and updates

India to import 76 mt coal; will spark power tariff hike

Coal remains mainstay of energy mix, accounting for 51% of installed capacity of 403.75 GW

NEW DELHI : India has firmed up a plan to import around 76 million tonnes (mt) of coal to help plug a fossil fuel shortfall at its power plants in the current financial year.

This in turn may result in an increase in electricity tariffs by 50-80 paise per unit depending on the distance of the power stations from sea ports, according to two government officials aware of the development.

With the monsoon expected to affect India’s coal production and supplies to power plants in August and September, state-run Coal India Ltd (CIL) will import 15 mt to supply to power stations.

India’s largest power generator NTPC Ltd and Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) will import another 23 mt. Finally, state generating companies (gencos) and independent power producers (IPPs) plan to ship in another 38 mt during the year