Coal inventory has been on the rise at thermal power plants. This improved from six days of consumption equivalent in October 2018 to 16 days in February 2019. As on 18 March 2019, it had inched up to 17 days, shows data from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).
The recovery is notable, despite the inventory being lower than the normal requirement of 22 days. At present, no thermal power plant faces critically low coal stock levels of less than seven days. This compares well with nine plants facing low coal stocks as on end-December 2018.
Coal stocks at 126 thermal power plants rose for a fourth successive month in February to 26 million tonnes, says Elara Capital (India) Pvt. Ltd.
