India: Power Plants’ Coal Import Up 71% Y-o-Y in Apr’19

Coal Imports taken by Indian power utilities have increased 71% Y-o-Y to 6.3932 MnT in Apr’19 as compared with 3.731 MnT in Apr’18.

Data provided by CEA indicate that enormous rise in import volume was driven by higher intake by Adani’s Mundra power plant during Apr’19. Apparently, the power producer had stopped operation at its 4620 MW imported coal based plant last year, on account of significant increase in fuel expenses.

Mundra power plant’s import rose 16-folds on the year to 1.514 MnT in Apr’19.

Besides, imported coal supplies against the coal tender issued by NTPC seem to have started, wherein the power producer had received 0.332 MnT coal in Apr’19. Notably, NTPC had not received imported coal shipment in the year-ago period.

Total coal imports by power plants were also slightly higher on the month from 6.347 MnT in Mar’19.

A break up of imports based on design of power plants shows that that plants build to run on domestic coal had imported 2.3816 MnT coal in Apr’19, which was 67% higher on the year from 1.427 MnT in Apr’18.

Coal intake by plants designed on imported coal rose 74% Y-o-Y to 4.012 MnT in Apr’19. Among these, import of state run-Sikka power plant had come down 36% Y-o-Y to 0.109 MnT in Apr’19.

Source: CEA
Quantity in MnT

It is likely that upon approval of CERC to allow power plants claim the extra cost of imported coal in electricity tariff, would encourage utilities to raise their purchasing of foreign fuel, if CIL fails to meet their supply commitments.

Power Plant Coal Stock:
Combined coal stock at Indian power plants had slightly up ticked on the month to 34.76 MnT in Apr’19 compared with 34.55 MnT in Mar’19.

Total coal receipt at power plants had fell 9% M-o-M to 55.45 MnT in Apr’19, but was still 5% higher on the year from 52.65 MnT in Apr’18.