Coal imports by Indian power utilities have increased 9% on the month to attain its highest monthly total for FY20 during Nov’19, data provided by power ministry showed.
Intake by power plants stood 6.59 MnT in Nov’19 as against 6.021 MnT in Oct’19, which was also marked 28% higher on the year from 5.151 MnT noted in Nov’18.
Monthly coal requirement of the power stations was duly met with higher domestic coal availability, as the plants were supplied a total of 46.92 MnT coal domestically against the assessed demand of 46.97 MnT in Nov’19.
Apparently, the excess coal volume in the month pertaining to imports was bought by the power plants for blending with domestic coal, while part of it was specifically taken to operate plants which are designed to run on imported coal.
Utility-wise Coal Imports:
A break-up of imports indicate that coal intake by plants for the purpose of blending with domestic coal, had increased 16% M-o-M to 2.475 MnT in Nov’19.
Maharashtra State Power Generation (MAHAGENCO) was the largest coal receiver among the specified set of end-users. The state electricity had procured 0.52 MnT coal in Nov’19 for its various power plants based in Maharashtra.
Whereas, plants designed to run on imported coal had taken 4.115 MnT coal in Nov’19, which was marked 6% higher on the month from 3.883 MnT in Oct’19.
Adani power’s Mundra plant was highest coal receiver during the month, with imports of 1.411 MnT followed by Tata Power’s Coastal Gujarat plant who had procured 1.209 MnT coal during the month.
| Sector | Plants based on Domestic Coal | Plant Based on Imported Coal | Total Imports | ||||||
| Nov’19 | Oct’19 | % Change | Nov’19 | Oct’19 | % Change | Nov’19 | Oct’19 | % Change | |
| Central | 0.244 | 0.294 | -17% | – | – | – | 0.2443 | 0.294 | -17% |
| State | 0.922 | 0.541 | 70% | 0.105 | 0.133 | -21% | 1.026 | 0.674 | 52% |
| Private | 1.309 | 1.303 | 0% | 4.011 | 3.751 | 7% | 5.319 | 5.053 | 5% |
| Total | 2.475 | 2.138 | 16% | 4.115 | 3.883 | 6% | 6.590 | 6.021 | 9% |
Source: Power Ministry
Quantity in MnT
Meanwhile, a decline in monthly coal imports was reported by central-run power plants, wherein coal intake of 0.244 MnT in Nov’19 was down 17% M-o-M from 0.294 MnT in Oct’19. In contrast, intake by state and private sector power plant had increased during the month.
An elevated coal output from CIL and SCCL has improved coal stock at the power plants, which have attained a 5-month high total of 29.66 MnT, assessed at the end of Nov’19. Up-tick in coal stock was aided by flat demand over the month, which have been subdued in recent times.
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