In a move to avoid any shutdown of coal based power plants in the country, Coal India (CIL) has asked its subsidiaries to rush additional stocks to feed the power utilities reeling under acute fuel crunch. Coal is dominant fuel used for power production in the country and acute coal shortage in the country has become primary reason for power deficit in the country as coal-fired plants account for around 59% of India's total installed electricity capacity.
As per Central Electricity Authority (CEA), 29 out of 100 thermal power plants across the country as on September 1 have been left with coal stock of less than four days. Coal India has about over 30 million tonnes (MT) of stocks lying at different places and is using rail transport mode to supply coal to power companies on priority basis. Coal India has also urged the power units to use trucks to transport coal from remote mines.
Meanwhile, the government is also taking measures to enhance the domestic coal production and has recently asked coal India to prepare an action plan soon to liquidate 39 MT of stock. Coal India (CIL), the only producer of coal in the country, is struggling to meet domestic coal requirements amid concerns like shutdown of mining activities in Talcher Coalfields in Odisha. CIL production fell 4.21 percent short of its production target to 462.53 MT in FY14. The government has set coal production target at 507 MT for CIL for FY15.