Lok Sabha Question No. 3332 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-23
Subject: Coal Stock
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: P. Velusamy, K. Shanmuga Sundaram

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3332

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.03.2022

## Coal Stock

## 3332. SHRI VELUSAMY P. SHRI SHANMUGA SUNDARAM K.

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

- (a)  whether  coal  stock  has  reached  an  alarming  level  whereby  47  thermal power  plants  are  having  four  days  of  stock  and  38  power  plants  have reached critical level;

(b) if so, the steps taken by the Government to tide over the situation and speedy transportation of coal to various power plants;

(c)  whether the Government has received any request for the power plants located in Tamil Nadu;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken to ensure supply of coal;

(e) whether the Government will prepare a coal demand plant for five to ten years; and

(f) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

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

(a): As  per  Central  Electricity  Authority,  the  coal  stock   available  with  the Thermal Power Plants (TPPs) as on 14.03.2022  is about 26.4 Million Tonnes (MT),  which  is  about  39%  of  the  normative  coal  stock  required  to  be maintained by the TPPs.

(b): Government  has  taken  the  following  measures  to  increase  the  coal supply to power plants:

(i)   To  address  the  issues  of  coal  supplies  to  power  sector,  an  InterMinisterial  Sub  Group  comprising  of  representatives  from  Ministries  of Power, Ministry of Coal, Ministry of 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 as well as for meeting any contingent situations relating to Power Sector including to alleviate critical coal stock position in power plants. In addition to this, an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) has been constituted comprising of Chairman,  Railway Board, Secretary, Ministry of Coal, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and

Climate Change and Secretary, Ministry of Power to monitor augmentation of  coal  supply  and  power  generation  capacity.  Secretary,  Ministry  of  New and  Renewable  Energy  and  Chairperson,  CEA  are  co-opted  as  Special Invitees as and when required by the IMC. (ii)  To help the power plants in enhancing their coal stock, CIL has offered about 5.2 MT coal in October, 2021 and 6 MT coal in December, 2021 from its  various  subsidiaries  to  State/Central  Gencos  for  lifting  coal  through RCR/ Road mode. (iii)  Government  has  issued  the  revised  the  coal  stocking  norms,  which mandates the power plants to maintain sufficient stock at all times to meet any contingent situation. (iv) Power Utilities are importing coal considering their requirement as well as  cost-economics.  Further,  Ministry  of  Power  vide  OM  dated  07.12.2021 has advised power plants to import about 36 MT coal for blending during 2022-23 with a view  to  build  sufficient  coal  stock  at  Power  Plants  during monsoon season. (c) and (d): Tamil Nadu has raised the issues regarding supply of coal to the TPPs of TANGEDCO . To  augment coal stock at  the  power  plants,  Coal  India  Limited  vide  letter dated 30.12.2021 has offered 500 Thousand Tonnes (TT) coal to TANGEDCO from Mahanadi Coalfields Limited for lifting through Road/Rail Cum Road mode. Against the offered quantity, TANGEDCO has lifted about 96 TT coal. Further,  in  the  sub-group  meeting  held  on  08.03.2022  a  total  of  21 rakes/day  has  been  offered  to  TANGEDCO  to  facilitate  building  of  coal stock. Yes.  As  per  the  initial  report  of  Niti  Ayog,  the  estimated  coal demand  of  various  sector  viz.  Power,  Generation,  Iron  &  Steel,  Cement, Aluminium  and  Captive  Power  production,  is  about  1192-1325  Million

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(e)  and  (f): Tonnes (MT) in 2030.