Coal dispatches to power sector increase by ten percent

New Delhi: During 2012-13, as against supply target of 342.31 Million Tonnes, dispatches to power utility sector from Coal India Limited (CIL) was at 343.79 Million Tonnes, a growth of more than 10% over the previous year. This information was given by the Minister of State for Coal, Shri Pratik Prakash Bapu Patil in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

Shri Patil said that CIL has guaranteed to supply 90% of Annual Contract Quantity (ACQ) for Thermal Power Plants (TPPs) commissioned prior to 31.03.2009 and 80% of ACQ for TPPs commissioned after 31.3.2009. The supply of 343.79 Millon Tonnes to power utilities in the country in 2012-13 has been 91.5% of commitment under Fuel Supply Agreement (FSA)/ Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of 375.82 Million Tonnes. In current year ,up to Jun’13, coal supply to power utility sector has been 86.39 MT which is 87.8% of commitment under FSA/MOU of 96.41 MT.

Minister said further, coal stock with power stations has gone up from 14.14 MT equivalent to 11 days’ requirement as on 01.04.2012 to 19.75 MT equivalent to 14 days’ requirement as on 01.04.2013 and further to 22.02 MT equivalent to 18 days’ requirement as on 29.07.2013. Presently, as on 29.07.2013, 65 TPPs are carrying coal stock equivalent to more than 15 days’ requirement and as a result, quite a few power stations have started regulating coal supplies to avoid further build up of stock at their end.

Regarding monitoring mechanism ,Shri Patil said that coal supplies to Power Utility sector is monitored regularly by an inter-Ministerial Sub-Group comprising representatives of Ministry of Power, Ministry of Coal and Ministry of Railways constituted by the Infrastructure Review Committee of Cabinet Secretariat. This Sub-Group suggests various decisions to ensure uninterrupted coal supplies to power utilities and for meeting any contingent situations relating to Power sector including critical coal stock position.