Govt Advises Power Plants To Import 10 Per Cent Of Their Coal Demand For Next Year: Report

The Centre has asked the power plants to import 10 per cent of their coal demand so as to prepare for the upcoming summer and monsoon seasons, said a top official.

Union Power Secretary Alok Kumar in an interview with Economic Times said that there would be substantial coal-based power generation in the near future despite the share of the power generated from the fuel coming down in the installed energy capacity.

He said that the Coal Ministry has assured that by the end of March, stocks at power plants will be 47 million tonnes from the present 23 million tonnes.

"Coal stocks norms have been revised and stocking limits have been laid out for various months. We are continuously monitoring and the coal ministry has assured us that by the end of March, stocks at power plants will be 47 million tonnes from the present 23 millon tonnes," Kumar was quoted as saying.

“Just to have a proper cushion, the power ministry has advised NTPC and DVC to arrange coal imports of 10 per cent of their demand for blending, so that there is sufficient stock in case there is a disruption in coal supply,” he added.

He further added, “For IPPs (Independent Power Producers) and state gencos also we have advised coal imports of 4 per cent of need for blending purposes.”