Lok Sabha Question No. 2487 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-01
Subject: Limited Stock of Coal for Power Projects
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: POONAMBEN HEMATBHAI MAADAM

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2487

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.08.2018

## Limited Stock of Coal for Power Projects

## 2487. SHRIMATI POONAMBEN MAADAM:

## Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the data available with the Central Electricity Authority shows that  a  few  power  projects  have  very  limited  stock  of  coal,  if  so,  the details thereof;
- (b)  if  so,  whether  the  Ministry  is  considering  importing  coal  and  directed States to do so to meet the demands of power plants; and
- (c ) the measures taken/being taken by the Ministry to match the demand and supply of coal?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COAL & FINANCE AND CORPORATE AFFAIRS

## (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

( a ):    Coal supply from Coal India Limited (CIL) to power Sector in 2018-19 (till June, 2018) has been 122.28 MT which was 14.8% higher than the coal supply in the corresponding period of last year. However, the coal stock at power plants depends on a number of factors like availability of suitable coal transport arrangement, payment of outstanding dues of the coal company, scheduling  of  power  depending  on  merit  order  dispatch  position  of  the plants etc. Further, to meet the power demand, many generating companies have opted to divert coal to the more cost efficient power plants under the provisions of Flexible utilization of domestic coal policy (June-2016). As per the  Central  Electricity  Authority  (CEA)  daily  coal  stock  report of  29.07.2018,  out of 117  coal  based  thermal  power  plants,  there  are  7  non-pithead  power plants  having  coal  stock  of  less  than  7  days  (critical  coal  stock)  ,  8  nonpithead power plants having coal stock less than 4 days (supercritical coal stock)  and  there  is  no  pithead  power  plant  under  critical  or  super-critical category.  The  total  coal  stock  available  with  these  power  plants  is  15.8 Million Tonnes which is sufficient for an average of 11 days.

In the 1st Quarter of 2018-19, the growth in dispatch of coal to Power sector has helped coal based generation to achieve 5.3% positive growth and

101.3%  of  the  programme. This  is  despite  the  fact  that  generation  from imported coal based plants was 66% of the programme in the first quarter of 2018-19. This shows that shortfall in generation from imported coal based plants  was  also  compensated  by  increased  power  generation  from  plants based on domestic coal.

- ( b ):      Ministry of Power has advised on 30.05.2018 to Energy Department of State Governments to assess their requirement in respect of import of coal and  plan  accordingly,  so  that  there  is  no  shortfall  of  coal  to  their  power stations and there is no loss of generation due to shortage of coal. However, considering the demand projection of power sector by CEA and production plan of CIL, no shortage of domestic coal in power sector is anticipated in coming years. ( c ):      Coal  supplies  to  Power  sector  is  monitored  regularly  by  an  Inter Ministerial  Sub  Group  comprising  representatives  of  Ministries  of  Power, Coal, Railways, Shipping, Central Electricity Authority, NITI Aayog, CIL etc. This subgroup has been meeting periodically, at multiple times in a week, in order  to  take  various  operational  decisions  for  meeting  any  contingent situations relating to Power Sector including critical coal stock position for power  plants.  A  committee  of  Secretary  (Coal),  Secretary  (Power)  and Member  (Traffic), Railway Board  has  been  jointly reviewing the coal transportation and supply on a regular basis. The CIL has been advised to work out a definite action plan for higher production & off-take during the current quarter and to ensure that necessary clearances for the existing coal mines are in place which will help in increasing the coal production in the short / medium term and in operationalising the newly allocated coal mines for further increasing production in the medium term.

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