Lok Sabha
The demand of Power Utilities during 2005-06 as per Annual Plan projections of Planning Commission is estimated to be 303.56 million tonnes. This demand is to be met by Coal companies to the extent of 279.81 million tonnes, thereby leaving a gap of 23.75 million tonnes. In view of this gap between demand and supply of indigenous coal, power utilities have been advised by Ministry of Power to import 13.45 million tonnes of coal which has higher calorific value than domestic coal during the year 2005-06.
Central Electricity Authority has reported that there are six power stations in the country facing critical coal stocks. A sub-group under the Ministry of Coal comprising of the officials from Ministry of Power, Railways and Central Electricity Authority has been monitoring coal supply vis-à-vis stockholding at power utilities on weekly basis. The sub-group has been re-allocating coal to critical plants from additional and alternative sources as and when required. Due to close monitoring of stocks at power-houses end by the Sub-group, the number of critical power stations has come down from a level of 22 in November, 2004 to only 6 in November, 2005. This has led to accretion of stock by over five million tonnes during the last one year at the power houses end.
This information was given by the Minister of state for Coal, Dr. Dasari Narayana Rao in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
DS/AS/301105-PQ3-CoalSupply
(Release ID :13701)