Coal stocks dip on short supply, higher power generation: Govt

There has been a dip in coal stocks at power plants due to sudden rise in electricity generation amid restrained output and supplies on account of "excessive rainfall", the government said on Wednesday. 

In order to tackle the situation, one arm of CIL has been given the role of lead firm for every power plant as about a dozen power plants in the country face a bleak scenario. "The lead company shall be responsible to monitor and ensure that the power plants linked to it are out of criticality," the coal ministry said in a statement. CIL has also been directed that coal loading via railway rakes shall be hiked to 250 rakes/per day, it said, adding that "of these, 225 rakes per day shall be supplied to the power sector".

A plea has been made to the Railways to position these rakes in consultation with the arms of CIL, the ministry said. According to the statement, thermal power plants (TPPs) had earlier regulated and reduced their coal intake but "presently when the production in the coal companies and offtake from them is sporadically restrained on account of excessive rainfall, there has been a sudden increase in coal based power generation which has resulted in dwindling coal stock at the TPPs".

Coal Secretary Susheel Kumar took the stock of coal supplies to TPPs across the country. Coal India Ltd CMD Gopal Singh and the CMDs of all CIL units participated in the meeting. "There has been growth of 17 per cent in coal based thermal power generation, this is primarily on account of reduction in hydro power generation by 12 per cent, in nuclear power generation by 36 per cent and others by 7 per cent in August, 2017 over August, 2016," the ministry said. Kumar also directed CIL that a control room at the PSU would round the clock take stock of position of the fuel supply to the coal-based power plants, the coal ministry added. "The offer of coal on 'as is, where is' basis shall be made by CIL to all the power plants. CIL shall also request Ministry of Power to direct the pithead TPPs to augment coal supplies through this route," it said.