Coal news and updates

Less than nine days of coal stock present at thermal power plants

Thermal power plants in India have nine days' worth of coal stock available as of June 6 and this could result in power outages, due to a shortage of dry fuel amid the rising electricity demand because of the scorching heat.

According to the Central Electricity Authority's latest data, the current coal stock stands at 22.082 million tonnes at 150 power plants, while 2.544 million tonnes is the daily requirement for the same.

For 15 power plants designed on imported coal, the total coal stock is 1.845 million tonnes and the daily requirement is 0.158 million tonnes.

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The CEA has mandated the revised coal stocking norms. It has mandated that the coal stock of 17 days at pit head stations and 26 days at non-pit head stations is to be maintained by power plants from February to June every year.

However, the data showed that pit-head thermal power plants have less than 15 days of stock left and have a total stock of 7.598 million tonnes against the daily need of 0.52 million tonnes. The pithead thermal power plants are situated near the coal mines and usually, there are no issues with coal supplies there.

Non-pit-head thermal power plants have less than eight days of stock left and have a total stock of 16.328 million tonnes, against the daily requirement of 2.2 million tonnes. Non-pithead thermal power plants are situated at a distance from coal mines and the stock at these plants assumes significance.

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Last month, independent research organisation CREA said a lower pre-monsoon coal stock at thermal power plants is suggestive of another power crisis in July-August.

The data compiled from official sources suggest that the coal power plants are in no position to address even a minor spike in the power demand and there is a need to plan for coal transportation well in advance," Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air's (CREA) latest report 'Failure to load: India's power crisis is a coal management crisis'.

The Central Electricity Authority of India had predicted a peak power demand of 214 GW in August. In addition, the average energy demand could also increase to more than what it is in the month of May to 1,33,426 million units (MUs).

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India saw a record coal production of 777.26 million tonnes in the financial year 2021-22 against 716.08 million tonnes in FY21, an increase of 8.54 percent. The country had a total mineable capacity of over 1,500 million tonnes in FY 21-22 while the total production stood at 777.26 million tonnes, approximately just half of its production capacity.