Five power utilities failed to import coal CEA :

Five power utilities failed to import coal in current fiscal year: CEA

V K Gupta
24 February, 2012

Inadequate supply from CIL, over-generation at some plants and awaiting coal allocations are some of the reasons that five power utilities of the country failed to import any coal during current financial year despite clear instructions from power ministry.

FIVE POWER utilities of the country failed to import any coal during current financial year despite clear instructions from power ministry. According to Central Electricity Authority (CEA) report the anticipated gap between the requirement and availability of domestic coal was estimated around 54 million tons (MT).

Out of estimated shortage of 54 MT, 35 MT of coal was to be met through import of coal, for which all the utilities were asked to take necessary action and balance 20 MT of coal was the requirement of power plants designed on imported coal.

Out of 25 power utilities, 5 utilities namely UPPCL, DVC, TATA, CSEB and Mundra failed to import any coal despite zero/ critical coal stocks at their thermal power stations. DVC was required to import 1.37 MT but failed to do so despite the fact that two thermal units at Durgapur steel plant and Kodarama were synchronized last year and are lying idle for want of coal. Coal India is yet to start supply of indigenous coal for these two plants. Mundra Ultra Mega Power Plant also failed to import its target of 1.7 MT coal.

7 utilities procured imported coal of more than 100 % pro-rata target up to January this year. These utilities are from Haryana (100%), Tamil Nadu (169%), Karnataka (133%), Andhra (104%) and West Bengal (120%). In private sector, Reliance (143%), and Adani (142%) achieved more than 100 % target of coal import up to January. Even NTPC the major power supplier in country has procured 82 % of imported coal target.

Meanwhile coal stock position at various thermal plants continued to remain critical. The coal stock of 36 thermal plants across country was critical with less than 7days stock as on 22nd February. Out of these, 26 thermal plants were having coal stock of less than 4 days. The main reasons for coal shortages are inadequate coal supply from CIL, over generation at some plants and awaiting coal allocations.