Lok Sabha Question No. 408 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-03
Subject: Shortage of Coal Supply
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Thirumaa Valavan Thol

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.408 ANSWERED ON 03.02.2022

## SHORTAGE OF COAL SUPPLY

## 408. SHRI THIRUMAAVALAVAN THOL:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  there  is  any  shortage  or  likely  shortage  in  the  supply  of  coal  to  the  power generation units and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  shortage  or  likely  shortage  in  the  supply  is  due  to  crisis  in  the  domestic production or import of coal or both;
- (c) if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to overcome such crisis in future?

## A N S W E R

## THE MINISTER OF POWER AND NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY

(SHRI R.K. SINGH)

(a) to (c) : The total quantity of coal despatched to power sector by Coal India Limited (CIL) and Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) during April-Dec, 2021 was about 430.6 Million Tonnes (MT) as compared to about 344.2 MT during the corresponding period of the preceding year and was about 375.2 MT during same period of 2019-20, showing a growth of about 25% with respect to preceding year and by about 15% with respect to 2019-20. Further, the import of coal has reduced to 21.4 MT during 2021-22 (Apr-Dec) as against 35.1 MT during same period in 202021  and  52.5  MT  during  same  period  in  2019-20.  The  shortfall  in  imported  coal  has  been compensated  by  supply  from  domestic  coal.  Presently,  there  is  no  shortage  of  coal  for  power plants in the country.

- (d) : The Government of India have taken the following measures to increase the coal supply to power plants:
- (i) To  address  the  issues  of  coal  supplies  to  power  sector,  an  Inter-Ministerial  Sub-Group comprising of representatives from Ministries of Power, Coal, Railways, Central Electricity Authority (CEA), Coal India Limited (CIL) and Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) meet regularly to take various operational decisions to enhance supply of coal to thermal power  plants  (TPPs)  as  well  as  for  meeting  any  contingent  situations  relating  to  Power Sector including to alleviate critical coal stock position in power plants.
- (ii) Ministry  of  Power  (MoP)  has  constituted  a  Core  Management  Team  (CMT)  with  members from MoP, Railways, CEA, CIL, NTPC, DVC and POSOCO to ensure close monitoring of coal stocks  at  TPPs  and  operational  decisions  are  being  taken  in  CMT  to  augment  supply  of sufficient quantity of coal to the TPPs.
- (iii) Government has issued the revised coal stocking norms, which mandates the power plants to maintain sufficient stocks at all times to meet any contingent situation.
- (iv) Power  Utilities  import  coal  considering  their  requirement  as  well  as  cost-economics. Further, Ministry of Power on 07.12.2021 has advised power plants to import required coal for blending purpose during 2022-23.

As a result of the above measures, the coal stock available at the power plants has increased from 7.2 MT as on 08.10.2021 to about 25 MT as on 26.01.2022.

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