The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) monitors the coal stocks position, on daily basis, in respect of 89 coal based thermal power stations in the country. As per CEA’s daily report of 8th May 2012, out of 89 coal based thermal power stations in the country, 29 power stations had coal stocks for less than 7 days. Short term production constraints at a coal company, unloading constraints at power plants, movement constraints of Railways, transportation constraints of coal companies etc. are some of the major factors which affect coal supply to the power utilities. This was given by Minister of State for Coal Shri Pratik Prakshbapu Patil in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
The Minster said that an Inter-Ministerial Sub-Group in the Ministry of Coal monitors the dispatch of coal to power stations and takes contingency decisions, as and when required, for prioritizing movement of coal keeping in view the coal stock position at the power stations. There has been a marked increase in the coal stocks at power stations since November 2011. The coal stock with power plants, which was 8.12 million tonnes as on 31.10.2011, has now increased to 14.19 million tonnes as on 8.5.2012. The number of power stations having coal stocks of less than 7 days has decreased from a level of 47 in October 2011 to 29.
The Minster said that an Inter-Ministerial Sub-Group in the Ministry of Coal monitors the dispatch of coal to power stations and takes contingency decisions, as and when required, for prioritizing movement of coal keeping in view the coal stock position at the power stations. There has been a marked increase in the coal stocks at power stations since November 2011. The coal stock with power plants, which was 8.12 million tonnes as on 31.10.2011, has now increased to 14.19 million tonnes as on 8.5.2012. The number of power stations having coal stocks of less than 7 days has decreased from a level of 47 in October 2011 to 29.