POWER THERMAL No Need To Panic: India Has Coal Stocks For Over 30 Days, Says Report India has enough coal stocks to meet more than 30 days of demands and there is no need to panic, Government sources said. Sources said 72.5 million tonnes (mt) of coal stocks are lying with Coal India Ltd. On average, power plants in India is having coal stock of 22 mt and on an average daily 2.1 mt coal is replaced with plants. So no shortage of coal will arise in the country. Energy demand rose due to early summer and the recovery in the economy. Coal production has increased 20-22 per cent in the month of April itself. The Ministry of Railways also in-
10 | CCAI Monthly Newsletter April 2022
creased the availability of rakes by 20 per cent. Earlier All India Power Engineers Fedration has said that Thermal Power plants across the country are grappling with coal shortages, indicating a looming power crisis in the country. Shailendra Dubey, Chairman of AIPEF said that as per Central Electricity Authority's latest daily coal report, the coal stock at 81 out of a total of 150 thermal power stations using domestic coal is critical as per guidelines. The condition of the private sector thermal plants is equally bad as the coal stock of 28 out of 54 plants is in a critical stage. Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh are the other states facing a coal crisis. The lack of railway rakes is also adding to the crisis. Presently, only 412 rakes are available as against the daily requirement of 453 rakes.
