NEW DELHI, April 20: Contradicting the power engineers’ apprehension of a looming power shortage due to non-availability of coal, the government claimed on Wednesday that India had enough coal stocks to meet more than 30 days of demands and there was no need to panic.
The official sources said Coal India Limited currently have a stock of over 72.5 million tonnes (MT) of coal which could meet the demands of the powers plants in the country for more than 30 days. “Power plants in India still have 10 days of stock and the country has coal stock of more than 30 days,” the sources added. On average, power plants in India is having coal stock of 22 MT while plants on an average consume daily 2.1 MT. “So no shortage of coal will arise in the country,” sources said.
Energy demand rose due to early summer and the recovery in the economy. Coal production has increased 20-22 per cent in the month of April itself. The Ministry of Railways also increased the availability of rakes by 20 per cent, the government sources said.
The government claims was to contradict the panic button pressed by the power engineers earlier who apprehended a looming power crisis in the country. The All India Power Engineers Federation had said the Thermal Power plants across the country were grappling with coal shortages, indicating a looming power crisis in the country.
Shailendra Dubey, Chairman of AIPEF said as per Central Electricity Authority’s latest daily coal report, the coal stock at 81 out of a total of 150 thermal power stations using domestic coal was critical as per guidelines. The condition of the private sector thermal plants was equally bad as the coal stock of 28 out of 54 plants was in a critical stage.
AIPEF Chairman said in a statement that coal inventories held by Indian power plants remain tight at nine days’ worth of stock as of mid-April and could result in power outages, If coal supplies do not improve, this could become another “stagflationary shock,” he said.
Electricity demand has shot up due to the reopening and as the country heads towards the peak summer season, but supply has been disrupted due to the reduced availability of railway rakes to transport coal and lower coal imports.
He said in the northern region, the worst suffering states are Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and UP. In UP coal stock is left for 7 days, in Haryana coal stock is for 8 days, in Rajasthan Coal stock is for 17 days as against the standard norm of 26 days coal stock.
Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh are the other states facing a coal crisis. The lack of railway rakes is also adding to the crisis. Presently, only 412 rakes are available as against the daily requirement of 453 rakes, Dubey said.
(Manas Dasgupta)