India’s coal shortage situation worsens with soaring power demand
Premium- Total coal stock at the 173 power plants under the ambit of CEA stood at 21.93 million tonne, which is 33% of the regulatory requirement of 66.32 million tonne as on April 21.
NEW DELHI : Coal stocks in the country’s power plants continue to decline at a time when power demand is soaring.
According data from the Central Electrity Authority (CEA), total coal stock at the 173 power plants under the ambit of CEA stood at 21.93 million tonne, which is 33% of the regulatory requirement of 66.32 million tonne as on April 21.
Out of the 173 plants, 108 plants were surviving on critical stock, which is less than 25% of the normative requirement.
Several states in the country including Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh are witnessing power outages amid low coal stocks.
A recent report by Nomura said that both demand and supply side factors are responsible for the the power crisis. The coal shortage has also been worsened by the low availability of railway rakes for the supply of coal.
Further, high price coal in the global markets has also resulted in a fall in imports.
Last week, the union power ministry allowed states to use tolling facility of up to 25% of linkage coal in a bid to cater to the growing power demand and curb power shortage in the country. Tolling helps states to give coal to some other plant through competitive bidding where power can be generated and transmitted to the state with the original coal linkage.
Further, keeping in view the rapidly increasing demand for power, the ministry also recommended that all gencos should endeavor to import coal for blending up to 10%.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday said that in order to tide over the current load shedding crisis in the state, the government has decided to import coal to some extent from outside the country for power generation.
Pawar also said that efforts were on to get one coal mine in Chhattisgarh allocated to the power department in Maharashtra. Speaking to reporters, he said the supply of coal was not being done in the country as per requirement.