Coal India has met 98% of projected coal demand of power plants in FY22

• Coal India, till March 24 of the ongoing fiscal, has supplied an all-time high of 528 MT of coal to the country's power utilities
• The current trend of coal stock accumulation indicates CIL opening the fiscal FY23 with above 60 MT at its pitheads

New Delhi: Coal India Limited (CIL) has met 98.5 percent of the projected coal demand of 536 Million Tonnes (MT) projected by the Ministry of Power and Central Electricity Authority (CEA) for the power sector, CIL said in a statement on Monday. "CIL allays the supply shortfall apprehension of the power sector and is concentrating its efforts to meet the projected coal demand of this regulated sector on priority basis," it added.

The state-owned coal miner, till March 24 of the ongoing fiscal, has supplied an all-time high of 528 MT of coal to the country's power utilities. "This is 98.5 percent of the prorated demand of 536 MTs projected by Ministry of Power and Central Electricity Authority. CIL is focused on meeting its despatch commitment to the country's power stations as the supply numbers indicate," said Coal India.

Coal India to open FY23 with over 60 MT coal at its pitheads

The current trend of coal stock accumulation indicates CIL opening the fiscal FY23 with above 60 MT at its pitheads, said the coal miner. The stockpile of domestic coal at power plants is expected to rise to around 25 MT by the closure of the fiscal, the bulk of it will be augmented by CIL's supplies. Further, an additional 4.5 MT will be available at goods sheds, washeries and ports.  

Indigenous coal stock at power houses monitored by CEA stood at 23.7 MT on March 24. 

"CIL is cognisant of the importance of meeting increased coal demand of the power sector as the generation will step into higher orbit with the advent of summer. With sufficient coal in the system and increased coal production, CIL is geared to meet the summer demand," said the statement. 

CIL offered additional 11.2 MT coal to power sector

CIL has offered a total of an additional 11.2 MT of coal in two rounds on 'as is where is basis,' to boost coal stocks at the generating units, when an unprecedented spike in power generation was witnessed in September 2021. The offer was made to 12 central and state gencos from CIL's highly stocked mines through road-cum-rail mode. With 35 MT of coal lifted through special forward e-auction window, meant for the power sector, the year-on-year growth was 53 percent till date. 

Power houses without Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) have no cause for worry as they are eligible for participation under a separate auction window called SHAKTI B(viii-a). "CIL's priority is ensuring adequate supplies to power sector and see that the nation gets power at just price. The aim is to securitise energy at least cost," said a CIL's executive.

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