Indian Power Utilities Coal Imports Up 20% Q-o-Q in Q3 FY20

Coal imports by Indian power producers have increased 20% Q-o-Q to 18.571 MnT during the third quarter of FY20 (Sep-Dec’19) as against 15.468 MnT recorded in the previous quarter.

The power utilities had exhibited strong appetite for imported coal, at a time when domestic coal supplies were hit by unfavorable weather conditions. Apparently, coal intake from the entire power sector had posted significant growth during the period.

Imports from private sector plants increased 17% Q-o-Q to 15.258 MnT during the third quarter. Central-run utilities had taken 0.919 MnT coal in Q3 FY20, up 22% Q-o-Q from 0.751 MnT in Q2 FY20.

Remaining imports were registered by state electricity boards, whose intake surged 42% on the quarter to 2.394 MnT in Q3 FY20.

Sector-wise Coal Imports

Source: Power Ministry
Quantity in MnT

Majority of the coal volume was brought by utilities that are designed to run on imported coal, which had taken 11.89 MnT coal in Q3 FY20, up 14% Q-o-Q from 10.43 MnT in Q2 FY20. Besides, imported coal intended by plants for blending purpose had also noted an impressive growth of 33% Q-o-Q to 6.6782 MnT in the quarter period.

On the monthly basis, power plant’s imports have fallen 10% M-o-M to 5.96 MnT in Dec’19 as against 6.59 MnT in Nov’19, in line with the improved domestic coal availability. Incidentally, with a robust stock level of 35.85 MnT build-up at the end of Dec’19, it is likely that the power plants would curtail its imports in the coming months.

However, total imports in the first 9 months of FY20 (Apr-Dec’19) have reached 52.487 MnT, up 18% on the year from the levels attained in the year-ago period.

Adani power’s Mundra plant was the largest coal receiver, with imports of 12.837 MnT coal in the 9 month period. Coal intake by India’s largest power producer-NTPC, had noted an exponential growth of 485% on the year to 1.896 MnT.