Coal stocks at nearly half of the large thermal power units were at “critical” levels during the weekend, indicating that despite the call for higher imports to shore up stocks, the situation is yet to be satisfactory.
As many as 82 of the 182 thermal power plants monitored by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) had fuel stocks at critical levels on November 8. Of the 82 units, six were imported coal-based plants and 75 run on domestic coal.
A plant is said to have critical stock situation when the dry fuel is less than 25% of the normative (ideal) level.
The 182 coal-based power plants have a total installed generation capacity of 206.82 GW; the normative fuel stocks el for them is 57.1 million tonne.
The domestic coal based (DCB) thermal plants including pithead and non-pithead with a total capacity of 189.3 GW had 37% of the normative coal stocks at just 19.48 million tonne on November 8. The normative level of stocks required at DCB plants is 53.25 million tonnes.
On the other hand, the 16 imported coal-based non-pithead plants with a total generation capacity of 17.5 GW had 54% coal stocks of the required level. The total coal stocks as on November 8 in the imported coal-based plants were at 20.85 million tonne against a normative stock requirement of 38.60 million tonne.
NTPC recorded 6.45 million tonne of coal stocks in its power plants as on November 8, against the required 14.46 million tonne, as per the data.
Additionally, gencos operated by state governments just had 26.6% (5 days of stock) of the normative dry fuel stocks required at 5.17 million tonne. Central government run gencos, on the other hand, had stocks up to 8 days or 43% of the normal level at 7.1 million tonne.
The shortage in coal stocks against their normal levels of requirement come at a time when the government is constantly highlighting the need to add more thermal power-based capacity to meet the rising demand for power and increasing electricity consumption. The government last week asked states to ensure that power plants in their respective regions run at their full capacity.
The government also recently extended mandatory blending of imported coal with domestic fuel for power gencos till the end of the current financial year, in an attempt to ensure uninterrupted power supply across the country. “The gencos may continuously review their stock position and opt for blending as per the requirements if the shortfall in domestic coal supply is more than 6 %,” the ministry of power said in the order.
As per the government, there is a need to add about 80,000 MW of thermal capacity under construction with collaboration from public and private sector.
Power Minister R. K. Singh also said that the government plans to add 10,000 MW thermal capacity and 21,000 MW of renewable energy capacity by the end of the current financial year to meet the rising power demand.
“There is going to be pressure on nations at COP (Climate Summit) to reduce usage of coal. We are not going to do this, since our point of view is clear, that we are not going to compromise on availability of power for our growth, even if it requires that we add coal-based capacity,” Singh had earlier said.
The total coal production in the country rose by 18.6% to 78.65 million tonne in the month of October from 66.32 MT in the corresponding month last year, according to data from the ministry of coal.
