Coal news and updates

Coal stocks at power plants cross 16 mt, up m-o-m

January 30: With the increase in domestic coal production and improvement in despatches, coal stocks at 100 thermal power plants (TPS) across India crossed the 16 million tons (mt) level to reach 16.271 mt as on January 28, 2015, up 16.47% from 13.970 mt recorded on December 31, 2014, according to data released by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).

On the other hand, during the previous year as on January 23, 2014, coal stocks at 100 power plants of the country stood at 17.476 mt.

This shows, there has been a steady increase in coal stocks at the power plants on a month- on-month basis during January whereas there was a slight fall in stocks as compared to the corresponding time of last year.

However, in terms of days, there were coal stocks for 11 days on January 28, 2015 and on December 31, 2014, the same stood at 9 days. On the other hand, stocks stood at 12 days on January 23, 2014.

Stocks of imported and domestic coals stood at 2.160 mt and 14.111 mt, respectively on January 28 while imported and domestic coal stocks stood at 1.905 mt and 12.065 mt, respectively on December 31.

On the other hand, stocks of imported and domestic coals stood at 1.546 mt and 15.930 mt, respectively on January 23, 2014.

The change in the overall coal stocks situation also affected the number of plants facing a critical coal stocks situation of less than four days, the CEA data revealed.

The number of plants facing critical coal stocks position of less than seven days stood at 28 on January 28, at 42 on December 31, 2014 while it stood at 29 on January 23, 2014, as per data made available by CEA.

The number of plants facing a super-critical coal stocks scenario of less than four days stood at 12 on January 28 and at 19 on January 19. However, it stood at 13 on January 23, 2014.