New Delhi: Daily coal supplies to the power sector have risen by about 36% from their post-monsoon low in September and are averaging 9% higher in October, the Ministry of Coal said on Friday.
Rail-based supplies have also been strengthened, with average dispatch of over 465 rakes per day in October. The 470-rake target was achieved on three consecutive days. Road-based supplies have improved as well.
The Ministry said stock depletion has slowed sharply. Daily drawdown fell from 0.243 million tonnes (MT) per day in September to 0.116 MT per day in October, a decline of more than half.”The position is therefore stabilising, although stock rebuilding is yet to commence,” the Ministry said in a statement.
The clarification comes after media reports flagged risk of power shortages as inventories at plants fell to low levels. The Ministry said “critical stock” is a norm-based early-warning tag for plants holding less than prescribed normative stock. “A plant appearing on this list is, by design, an early-warning entry and not an indication that it has run out of coal or is at imminent risk of shutting down.”
The Ministry said it is monitoring and redistributing coal to vulnerable stations and coordinating with Railways and Power Ministries. It expects sustained loading of 465-475 rakes per day to enable stock rebuilding as peak demand moderates by mid-October ahead of festive, winter and summer demand.
