NEW DELHI: Coal India on Thursday informed that it has plans to boost coal stock at thermal power plants to over 45 million tonnes (MT) from its own sources by the end of the ongoing fiscal. The company is aiming for the highest ever closing stock at power plants; the previous high was 45 MTs in 2020.
"The intent is to maintain a steady supply of coal to power plants during summer and monsoon months to avoid a disproportionate demand-despatch scenario. The focus is also to reduce coal imports in the substitutable category," informed CIL in a statement.
Coal India said that the stock enhancement to 45 MTs at thermal power plants by the fiscal end is based on a projection where the average coal fired power generation of previous five years, from December to March, was considered and increased by 7 per cent.
Volume of coal required to meet this generation and additional stock build up was then worked out. "With current indigenous coal stock of around 20 MTs at power plants (14th December), a major portion bolstered by CIL, the company is focused on lifting its component to 25 MTs by the end of the current month. Gradually the stock would be scaled up to 45 MTs by March end," informed CIL.
Coal India's current dispatch trend indicates record high supply to the power sector by the closure of the fiscal overtaking 491 MTs of FY19. Its despatches to power plants peaked to a record 340 MTs ending November, posting 23 per cent growth with volume increase of 62.6 MTs, on a year-on-year comparison.