(ET)
Coal India is hoping to increase fuel stocks at power plants to the prescribed level of 22 days, which requires 36 million tonnes to be stored at generating stations, a company executive said. Following successive months of slowdown, the company has managed to raise average daily production from 1.27 million tonnes in October to 1.8 million tonnes now. This increased stocks at power plants by 64% since October to 28 million tonnes—enough for 17 days. It is almost double last double last year’s stock position, which stood at 14 million tonnes, barely usable for nine days.
“We hope to touch Central Electricity Authority’s (CEA) mandated 22 day’s stocks at power plants by January as production at Coal India is on the rise. Stocks at power plants will have to be increased by five days to touch the CEA’s number. It would require a build-up of additional 8 mt of stock at the plants,” a Coal India executive said. “At present, stocks at mine-mouth in CIL is around 22 mt, more than enough for increasing stocks to the necessary level. Combined stock at CIL and power plants stands at around 50 mt this week.”
