Coal India despatches at all-time high in first 7 months of current fiscal

During October last week, the average per day stock accumulation at thermal power plants has been over 3 lakh tonne, touching almost 4 lakh tonne on four days.

Coal India (CIL) despatches hit 364.4 million tonne in the first seven months of the current fiscal, the highest ever, posting a 19% growth over the corresponding period the last fiscal. During the same period last fiscal, CIL despatched 305.8 MT.

Even as CIL gradually created an average 6 days’ stocks across all the 167 linked plants generating an aggregate 1,65 066 MW, 6 plants aggregating a generation of 5,550 MW are still left with no stock, 12 plants generating a total 14,822 MW that have one day’s stock and 17 generating a total of 19,100 MW that have two days’ stock.

CIL supplies in October reached 56.7 MT, nearly a 12% jump over the despatches during October last fiscal.
While the company has been meeting daily requirements preventing massive power outage, it also shored up coal stocks at the plants. From an average 7.3 MT as on October 17, the coal stock at the power plants gradually climbed to an average 10.52 MT, equivalent to 6 days’ stock, by the month end.

During October last week, the average per day stock accumulation at thermal power plants has been over 3 lakh tonne, touching almost 4 lakh tonne on four days. “Against the power sector’s coal consumption of around 1.8 MT a day, the supply from CIL and other sources has been around 2.2 MT in the last week of October.

But CIL accounted for major chunk,” S Vijay Sagar, CIL’s adviser for public relations, said, adding, on October 28, CIL’s despatch to power plants peaked to 1.8 MT, the highest recorded for a single day. CIL expects to further boost the stocks to 12 MT by Diwali.