Lok Sabha Question No. 1576 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-31
Subject: Global Energy Monitor’s Report
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Shri Prabhakar Reddy Vemireddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1576 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31.07.2024

## Global Energy Monitor's Report

## 1576. Shri Prabhakar Reddy Vemireddy:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that Global Energy Monitor's Report indicates that our coal mines are using only 2/3rd of their capacity in exploring coal;

(b)  if so, the reasons therefor;

(c)  whether it is true that last year 100 out of 285 thermal power plants witnessed coal shortage of more than 25% leading to power shortage in several States and if so, the details thereof;

(d) the details of capacity constraints that the Government identified last year and initiated action to rectify the same for current summer; and

(e) the manner in which the Government justifies its decision asking power plants to import 10% of coal to meet its requirements when we have sufficient reserves?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a) & (b): Coal mines are operated as per the approved mining plan and coal production is monitored against the level given in the mining plan for that particular year specially in prePeak Rated Capacity (PRC) attainment stage and during tapering before closing. All coal mines are running at optimal capacity as per their mining plans.  Considering last 5 years average, CIL's overall system capacity utilization is near about 80%. The capacity utilization of SCCL has been near about 82-90% and capacity utilization of NLCIL has been near about 85%-100% as per mine plan. Prematurely comparing the production of a mine with PRC while the mine is still in pre-PRC stage misleads one to believe that the capacity is underutilized. As such, the referred report of Global Energy Monitor (GEM) cannot be relied upon.

(c):  Central  Electricity  Authority  (CEA)  monitors  168  nos.  of  domestic  coal  based  (DCB) plants and 17 nos. of imported coal based (ICB) plants. The coal stock available with the DCB plants is monitored on daily basis by Central Electricity Authority (CEA). This was about 34.6 Million Tonnes (sufficient for 13 days) as on 31.03.2023, which increased to about 47.8 MT (sufficient for 18 days) as on 31.03.2024.

During FY 2023-24, the DCB power plant received approximately 798.6 MT and 23.9 MT domestic and imported coal respectively and consumed about 783.6 MT and 24.2 MT domestic and imported coal respectively. None of the DCB plants had witnessed coal shortage.

(d):   In FY 2023-24, coal dispatch was 973.015 MT (provisional) in comparison to 877.369 MT in FY 2022-23, with a growth of 10.9%. In FY 2023-24, coal supply to power sector was 807.2 MT in comparison to 744.6 MT in FY 2022-23, with a growth of 8.4% and closing stock at TPPs end was 47.78 MT as on 31.03.2024. In current FY 2024-25 (till June), 214.82 MT (provisional) coal has been supplied to Power sector in comparison to 200.99 MT (provisional) over same period of last year with a growth of 6.88%. Thus, there has been no shortage of coal supply.

(e):   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 order to meet the power demand and to ensure uninterrupted power supply across the country  and  also  to  maintain  adequate  coal  reserves  in  domestic  coal  based  power  plants, Ministry of Power has issued advisory on 27.06.2024 to extend the advisory dated 04.03.2024 till 15.10.2024.

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