NEW DELHI: India is more than ready to meet any surge in electricity demand in the coming summer days or deal with disruption in fuel supply to thermal power stations during the monsoon, with overall coal stock rising 44% year-on-year to 110.5 million tonne (mt) as of June 13, government data showed.
The overall stock position has risen on the back of cumulative production rising to 182 mt as on June 13, marking an 8% growth over the same period of 2022-23. Pithead stock with Coal India Ltd, which fuels 80% thermal power generation, rose 5.7% to nearly 60 mt during this time.
Cumulative coal despatch to power plants increased 5% on cue to 164.8 mt. This kept fuel inventory at power plants from depleting in the last two-and-a-half months of summer. Coal stock at power stations stood at 34.5 mt as on June 6, which is same as on April 1. Compared to last fiscal, the inventory to date marks a growth of 53%.
