India: Power Plant’s Coal Import down by 6% M-o-M in Jan’20

Coal imports by Indian power utilities have plunged by 6% M-o-M basis in Jan’20 data provided by power ministry showed. Intake by power plants stood at 5.60 MnT in Jan’20 as against 5.95 MnT in Dec’19, whereas the same was recorded at 5.52 MnT in January last year i.e. 2019.

In the first ten months of ongoing FY20 (Apr’19 – Jan’20) the total coal imports by Indian power utilities have been recorded at 58.09 MnT against 50.16 MnT in the corresponding period of previous fiscal year.

Utility-wise Coal Imports:

A break-up of imports indicate that coal intake by plants for the purpose of blending with domestic coal, have plunged by 14% M-o-M to 1.79 MnT in Jan’20. Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (MSPGCL) was the largest coal receiver among the specified set of end-users. The state electricity had procured 0.32 MnT coal in Jan’20 for its various power plants based in Maharastra.

Whereas, plants designed to run on imported coal had taken 3.82 MnT coal in Jan’20, which was marked 1.8% lower against 3.89 MnT in Dec’19.

Adani power’s Mundra plant was highest coal receiver during the month, with imports of 1.33 MnT followed by Tata Power’s Coastal Gujarat plant who had procured 0.66 MnT coal during the month.

Meanwhile, central-run power plants had reported a decline in monthly coal imports, wherein coal intake of 0.33 MnT in Jan’20 was down 13% M-o-M from 0.38 MnT in Dec’19. Apart from this intake by state and private sector power plant had also recorded a plunge during the month.

Coal stock and consumption at power plants 

The combined coal stock at the power plants was assessed at 39.1 MnT in Jan’20 against 35.9 MnT in Dec’19.

Official data from the ministry showed that total coal consumption at power plants has fallen 1.22% Y-o-Y to 519.8 MnT in the first ten months (Apr’19 – Jan’20) of ongoing fiscal year 2019-20 against 526.2 MnT in the corresponding period of previous fiscal. In FY20 during Apr’19-Jan’20 , the country has increased its imports by 16% y-o-y as the same is recorded at 58.09 MnT whereas the domestic sourcing has plunged by 2.95% y-o-y as the same stood at 466.1 MnT during the above mentioned period.

Quantity in MnT