CIL’s coal dispatch to power sector has increased 17% Y-o-Y to 32 MnT in Sep’17, according to the data provided by Ministry of Coal. Total coal dispatch during the first half of the FY18 (Apr’17-Sep’17) has reached 204.5 MnT, with an increase of 6.8% compared with 191.5 MnT coal dispatched to power sector during the same period in FY17.
In the period of low coal availability to power plants, state run-SCCL( Singareni Collieries Company Ltd), has also increased its dispatch to power plants by 12.3% Y-o-Y to 4 MnT in Sep’17. While, the total coal dispatched by the company has rose 10.4% to 25 MnT during Apr’17-Sep’17 comparable with 22.6 MnT in Apr’16-Sep’16.
Despite the claims of low coal supply, Coal Secretary has assured that there was no coal shortage, and has blamed power companies for the low coal stock at power plants. He further added that power companies have not followed CEA guidelines of stocking coal for 22 days, knowing that there might be disruptions in coal supply during monsoon.
Moreover, low power generation from hydro and nuclear plants during Aug-Sep’17 meant that thermal power plants had to ramp-up power demand thereby burning more coal in the process.
Many state utilities power plants who are facing coal shortages and have urged Coal Ministry to ensure adequate coal supply. The depleting coal stock at power plants has reached 7.25 MnT as on 19 Oct’17, enough for 5 days of power generation.
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