Enough Coal to Meet Demand for Power

With 44.22% Growth, Overall Coal Stock Position Touches 110.58 Million Tonne as on 13th June, 2023. It Ensures 164.84 MT Coal Dispatch to Power Sector, growth of 5.11%

Union Minister of Coal, Mines & Parliamentary Affairs Shri Pralhad Joshi has assured the country that even during the coming monsoon season there will be no shortage of coal. India’s coal sector is fully prepared to meet the enhanced domestic demand of our fast growing economy, he says.

In line with the vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, the Ministry of Coal is focused on ensuring the energy security of the Nation. The Ministry of Coal is actively working towards enhancing coal production and supplying efficient transportation of coal to all the stakeholders.

The overall coal stock position i.e., at Mines, TPPs and transit, as on 13th June .2023, reached 110.58 Million Tonne (MT), indicating a substantial increase of 44.22% as compared to the stock of 76.67 MT last year. This higher coal stock position indicates commitment of maintaining an ample supply of coal by the Ministry of Coal.

Additionally, the Pithead coal stock at Coal India Limited (CIL) as on 13th of this month stands at 59.73 MT, indicating a growth rate of 25.77% as compared to the stock of 47.49 MT on 13.06.2022. This upward trend highlights effective stock management strategies and operational efficiency.

At the same time, in terms of coal dispatch to the power sector, the cumulative achievement for the FY 2023-24 as on 13.06.2023, amounts to 164.84 MT, registering a notable growth rate of 5.11% compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, which stood at 156.83 MT on 13.06.2022, ensuring a steady supply of coal to meet the energy requirements of the power sector.

The coal stock at Thermal Power Plants (TPPs) (DCB) on 01.04.2022 was 24.04 MT and 22.57 MT as on 13.06.2022, resulting in 6.1% dip. However, the coal stock at TPPs (DCB) on 1st April, 2023 was 34.5 MT and 34.5 MT on 13.06.2023, meaning no depletion of coal stocks in the last two and half months of summer season.

This has been possible by ensuring a high growth rate of coal production and dispatch during this period. The Coal stock at TPPs (DCB) as on 13.06.2023 is 34.55 MT as compared to last year to date which was 22.57 MT, indicating a significant growth of about 53.1%.

Overall, cumulative coal production for FY 2023-24 has witnessed remarkable growth, with a production of 182.06 MT as on13.06.2023, representing an impressive growth rate of 8.26% compared to the previous year’s production of 168.17 MT for the same period. Furthermore, the overall coal dispatch has seen a substantial increase, reaching 196.87 MT on 13.06.2023 for FY 2023-24. This represents a commendable growth rate of 7.71% compared to the previous year’s dispatch of 182.78 MT.

The Coal Ministry is said to be fully committed to driving sustainable growth in the coal sector through strategic planning and effective implementation and to enhancing domestic coal production capabilities supporting the power sectors in meeting the rising energy demands.

It may be noted that even as the world economy is going through a slowdown, India has emerged as a bright spot as one of the fastest growing economies globally, the Coal Minister has pointed out. Shri Joshi further stated that internationally India’s credibility has increased substantially in recent years and the country has emerged as the world’s factory. He called upon the coal sector to devise suitable action plans to meet the growing energy requirements of the country in coming years.

The Minister appreciated the new initiatives and reforms undertaken by the Coal Ministry to enhance commercial coal mining. 87 coal blocks have been successfully auctioned under commercial auction and some of them have already started production, he said. Shri Joshi stated that deliberation on new strategies to enhance coal production from underground mines is a step in the right direction.