Power utilities to focus on more consumption of imported coal

Thursday, April 21,

Government insists on more usage of imported coal to all power generators in an attempt to meet the country’s growing demand for electricity.*

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has pointed out the incapability of equipment at existing plants, which cannot use more than 15% of imported coal as it leads to pollution, and corrosion of boilers. CEA has advised private power utilities and equipment manufacturers to use boilers and auxiliaries designed for blending at least 30% or more imported coal.

“As there is a large gap between projected demand and supply of indigenous coal, all future coal-fired thermal power stations to be set up in the country shall be so designed as to enable use of higher percentage of imported coal to keep pace with the large generation capacity addition programme in the 12th plan period and beyond,” the CEA said in an advisory issued on Tuesday.