Lok Sabha Question No. 2502 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-16
Subject: Coal Fired Generation
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2502 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.03.2022

## Coal Fired Generation

## 2502. SHRI T.R. BAALU:

Will the Minister of Coal be pleased to state:

(a) whether disagreement among electricity generators, Coal India Limited (CIL) and the  Indian  Railways  may  hamper  economy  looking  to  grow  at  over  8  per  cent because coal-fired generation is the key to lubricating India's growth for the next few years;

(b) if so, the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to step up imports and fix  unreliable  logistics  to  stave  off  the  kind  of  crisis  that  threatened  electricity generators during last year; and

(c) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, COAL AND MINES (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

(a): Coal supplies to power sector is being regularly monitored by an Inter-Ministerial Sub Group comprising of representatives from Ministries of Power, Ministry of Coal, Ministry  of  Railways,  Central  Electricity  Authority  (CEA),  Coal  India  Limited  (CIL), Singareni  Collieries  Company  Limited  (SCCL)  and  NTPC  etc.  to  take  various operational decisions to enhance supply of coal to thermal power plants as well as for meeting any contingent situations relating to Power Sector including to alleviate critical coal stock position in power plants.

In 2021-2022 (upto February, 2022) coal supply to Power sector from all domestic sources was 611.43 Million Tonnes(MT) with a growth of about 25.55% against the supply of 486.98 Million tonnes during the same period of last year. The coal import by power sector reduced from 39.013 MT in 2020-21(upto January,2021) to 22.73 MT during the same period of this fiscal.  The source wise details of Domestic  coal supply to power sector is given below:-

| Company/Year   |   2020-21* |   2021-22* |   (Figures in Million Tonnes) %growth |
|----------------|------------|------------|---------------------------------------|
| CIL            |     397.99 |     487.88 |                                 22.6  |
| SCCL           |      35.97 |      48.91 |                                 36    |
| Captive        |      53.02 |      74.64 |                                 40.77 |
| Total          |     486.98 |     611.43 |                                 25.55 |

*Provisional

Similarly,  in  2021-2022  (upto  February  2022)  domestic  coal-based  generation  was 901.82 BU with a growth of about 16% against the actual generation of 777.84 BU during the same period of last year.

(b)  and  (c): As  per  the  current  import  policy,  coal  is  kept  under  Open  General License (OGL) and consumers are free to import coal from the source of their choice as  per  their  contractual  prices  on  payment  of  applicable  duty.  In  view  of  limited domestic production of coking coal, coking coal will continue to be imported for use by the steel sector. Thermal power based on domestic coal may use imported coal up to 10% for blending with domestic coal, where technically feasible, to meet the increased power demand in the country.

Logistic  of  imported  coal  movement  for  GENCOs  which  are  sourcing  coal from import  have  been  planned  in  consultation  with  Railways,  Ministry  of  Power  and Ministry of Coal.

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