KOLKATA (miningweekly.com) - Indian power companies are likely to import up to 82-million tonnes of coal during 2013/14, Junior Coal Minister Pratik Prakashbapu Patil says.
He noted that around 50-million tonnes would have to be imported by the 25 thermal power plants to meet shortfall from domestic mines, while another 32-million tonnes would be imported by thermal power plants using imported coal.
During 2012/13 total Indian coal imports were pegged at 137.56-million tonnes.
Coal India Limited (CIL), which accounts for 80% of total domestic production, was planning to float a global tender to ship in five-million tonnes of coal as its maiden import venture, while NTPC Limited, the country’s largest power producer, would float a tender for the import of five-million tonnes of coal within the next few months.
Patil said that to date CIL had been able to conclude 82 fuel supply agreements with thermal power companies for the supply of 131-million tonnes of coal, sufficient for a total generating capacity of 34 793 MW.
CIL has been asked to guarantee coal supply for between 65% and 75% of the demand from thermal power companies until 2015, while the balance would have to be met through imports to feed power plants under construction and nearing completion.
The Minister claimed that coal supplies to power plants had improved over the past few months and cited a report of the Central Electricity Authority, which stated that as of August 11, only six thermal power plants of the total 99 in the country had coal stocks of less than seven days.