Coal imports up 19% in September as power plants face fuel crunch

New Delhi: Coal imports have increased by about 19 per cent to 16 million tonnes in September over the year-ago period as power plants are facing severe fuel crunch.

As per the latest data by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), 56 coal-based power plants reported critical fuel stocks that will not last more than seven days.

Of the 56 stations facing coal shortages, 33 had less than four days of stocks. These 33 stations include 10 power stations run by country’s leading thermal power producer NTPC.

Sources said on increased demand from power plants coal imports rose by about 19 per cent to 16 million tonnes last month.

In August, major ports logged 12 per cent jump in handling of coal imports at 9.41 million tonnes.

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“Increased demand for imported dry-fuel has led to top 12 major ports handling 9.41 MT of imported coal during August as compared to 8.41 MT in a year-ago period,” Indian Ports Association (IPA) said.

According to IPA, imported thermal coal handling at these state-owned ports increased by 14 per cent to 6.81 MT in August as compared to the same month in 2013.

Coking coal imports through these ports rose 7.43 per cent to 2.65 million tonnes during the month.

Power and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal had earlier said during the first quarter of the current financial year (April to June) the coal materialisation to the power sector was 87 per cent.

The minister had said that shortage of supplies was on account of less supply of wagons and transportation constraints.

PTI