CIL’s supplies spur 22.5% growth in coal-based generation in Apr-Nov period

• CIL's coal helped generate 507.46 Billion Units (BU) of power during April-November period, spurring 22.5 percent growth, said CIL
• Coal stock situation at power plants is much improved now from a level of 7.24 MTs on October 8 to 18.84 MTs of indigenous coal on December 7

 
New Delhi: Coal supplied from Coal India Ltd's (CIL) sources propelled a robust 22.5 percent growth in coal-fired power generation of the country during April-November period of FY22 compared to the same period a year ago. CIL's despatches to coal-based power plants rose steeply to 340 MTs during April-November period, posting a healthy increase of 62.6 MTs. The despatch stood at 277.4 MTs in the corresponding period of the previous financial year. 

"At a thumb rule specific coal consumption of 0.67 Kg (that is the quantity of coal required to generate one unit of power), CIL's coal helped generate 507.46 Billion Units (BU) of power during the referred period, spurring 22.5 percent growth, compared to 414.08 BU in the same period last year. This is higher than the growth of overall domestic coal-based generation, including despatches from sources other than CIL," said CIL in an official statement on Thursday.
 
Even when measured against a pre-pandemic April-November 2019, the growth in power generation from CIL's coal is 16 percent. In the referred period, the despatch to power plants by CIL was 292.88 MTs. This translates to generation of 437.13 BU, said CIL. 

Coal-based power generation grew by 19.8% during Apr-Nov y-o-y

"Dispelling the notion that the recent mismatch between unprecedented coal demand and supply may have affected the power output, domestic coal-based power generation at 641.87 BU in fact grew by 19.8 percent during April-November on a year-on-year comparison. Of this generation, CIL's coal accounted for 79 percent," said a senior executive of the company.

Coal-based power generation by 14 thermal plants in the country, who source their coal from overseas, fell by 42.7 percent to 30.04 BU during this period, down from 52.40 BU of last year. The scaling down in generation was due to soaring international coal prices. 

Domestic coal-based power plants had stepped in to meet the gap where CIL supplied around 20 MTs of additional coal.

Coal stock at thermal power plants improves

Coal stock situation at power plants is much improved now from a level of 7.24 MTs on October 8 to 18.84 MTs of indigenous coal on December 7. CIL has played a pivotal role in this stock build up. CIL's current coal despatch trend indicates record high supply to power sector during the ongoing fiscal, eclipsing the previous high of 491 MTs in FY19.

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