India’s coal-based power plants were provided timely relief by the renewable sector as the former’s generation schedule has been lessened in May, 2022.
The coal-fired plants have been pivotal in catering to the sharply elevated power demand. But, in the process, they had witnessed a steep decline in coal inventory levels due to increased usage of the same.
However, the burden on these plants has been reduced to an extent, thanks to a surge in power generation recorded from the renewables segment.
Notably, coal-fired power generation recorded a drop of 3% m-o-m to 62,638 million units (MU) for 1-19 May, 2022, as per data provided by POSOCO.
In the same time-frame, generation from renewable energy increased 25% m-o-m to 10,858 MU. In fact, apart from nuclear plants, the remaining power sources had also scaled up their generation volumes.
Source-wise power generation
Source: POSOCO | Quantity in BU
Power demand loses steam
Demand for power had been at a record high in April, 2022, driven by the intense heat-waves in mid-summer. However, the pace has gradually slowed down in the current month.
Total power consumption during the first 19 days of May, 2022 remained almost stable at 84,656 MU as against 83,765 MU in the corresponding period of April, 2022.
Region-wise power consumption
Source: POSOCO | Quantity in BU
The marginal increase was primarily due to the high consumption pattern seen in the northern region, whereas the same had decreased in absolute terms in the southern, western and eastern regions.
Moreover, the power ministry was able to manage the power supply situation in an effective manner, boosted by the gradual return of non-operational power units. Evidently, the shortfall in power supply was reduced sharply to 404 MU in the 19-day period of May 2022 which had widened to 1,059 MU in the same period in April.
Coal supply remains tight
The power plants have not been able to lift their inventory levels given the logistic
bottlenecks hindering coal supplies.
As on 18 May, 2022 the coal stock was assessed at 20.78 mnt as against 21.7 mnt recorded at the end of April.
In order to ensure ample availability before monsoon, the power ministry has called upon the plants which have yet to initiate imports by proposing penalty in the form of curtailment in domestic supplies in case they fail to comply with the directive.
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