The Centre has extended two mandates, which are aimed at increasing coal imports into the country.
In two separate notices, the Union power ministry has directed imported coal-based (ICB) units to run till June 2024 and all power generating companies to import coal up to 6 per cent of their requirements till March 2024. The ministry has cited rising power demand and lack of optimum domestic coal supply as the reasons for this.
The ministry has invoked Section 11 of the Electricity Act, 2003, again to direct all the ICBs with a cumulative capacity of 17 Gigawatt (Gw) to operate and generate power to their full capacity.
