Amid the reports of the coal crisis which could lead to power cuts across the country, Union Power Minister RK Singh and Union Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed ways to increase transportation of coal. As per sources, the government is looking to utilise large imported coal-based power plants to meet the electricity demand. Follow LIVE UPDATES
Power Secretary Alok Kumar and Coal Secretary AK Jain also made a presentation to PM Modi on availability of coal and power in the country, according to CNBC-TV18 sources. Coal India’s inventory stood at over 90 mt at the end of financial year-21 and power plants mismanaged inventory at stations since April this year, the sources added.
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Meanwhile, Joshi assured that the government is in process to replenish the coal stock and asked people not to panic. “There was a shortage of coal that was due to international pricing and heavy rains. That is why imported coal plants were shut for about 20 days. But now the rain has receded. We have supplied coal and we are in the process of replenishing the stock. So the coal stocks have increased. There is no reason to panic,” he said.
Speaking to News18, Joshi explained, “Coal India’s FY24 target of 1 billion tonnes of coal production will be delayed due to Covid-19 impact. Power demand has increased and shows economy is picking up. There will be no blackout if there is four days of stock, as there will be rolling stock. Coal will be rolling stock and it will take time but assure meeting demand. All of a sudden there was huge surge in international prices. Burden of imported coal-based power plants has come on Coal India.”
This comes a day after both Singh and Joshi met Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a high-level meeting along with officials of National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) office in Delhi to discuss the coal issue.
Several states have warned of a power outage in the wake of a severe coal shortage, but the coal ministry has asserted that sufficient dry fuel is available in the country to meet the demand of electricity generating plants and has dismissed as “entirely misplaced” any fear of disruption in power supply.
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