Power plants’ regulated coal intake resulted in shortage at their end: CIL

Even as Coal India (CIL) is saddled with a pithead stock of 53 million tonne and has supplied 202 million tonne to the power sector between April 1 and August 29 this year — 27% and 8% more than the corresponding period in 2020 and 2019 respectively — shortage of coal in power plants aggregating generation of 90,000 MW has made the mining PSU jittery.

Despite overdues of Rs 17,000 crore from gencos generating 20,000 MW as of July, CIL has not stopped supplying coal to power plants, though supply is restricted to the minimum quantity required. State gencos of Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal have long pending overdues.