State-owned Coal India increased its supply of coal to the power sector by 3.4 percent to 294.8 million tonnes in the first six months of the current fiscal, despite record high demand for electricity in the previous two months, the Maharatna business said on Monday. Coal India Ltd (CIL) said in a statement that the total amount of coal delivered was 1.8 MT more than the 293 MT demand estimated for this period.
“The volume increase was 9.7 MT, or 3.4 percent, when compared to the high base of the same period last fiscal.” “This could have been higher if logistics were simplified and consumption was not regulated by a small number of consumers,” CIL said in a statement.
“For FY24, we were given a supply target of 610 MT to the power sector.” This is around 4% more than the previous record of 586.6 MT delivered in FY23. “We met the prorated demand of coal-fired plants until the end of September and expect to meet the annual demand as well,” said a senior CIL official. Coal is the country’s primary source of electricity, and CIL generates more than 80% of India’s coal.
This is around 4% more than the previous record level of 586.6 MT delivered in FY23. “We met the prorated demand of coal-fired plants until the end of September and expect to meet the annual demand as well,” added the official. CIL’s total supplies increased to 360.7 MT from April to September, up from 332 MT the previous year. CIL’s non-power sector coal supplies peaked at 65.7 MT in the first six months of FY24, representing a 40% increase. CIL’s pithead coal stock was 41.6 MT at the end of September. Last month, CIL recorded a 12.6% year-on-year increase in coal production to 51.4 MT.
