Bumper coal stock at power stations as transport woes ease

Even as power demand has touched a historic high of 250 gigawatts (Gw) amid sweltering heat this June, India's power stations are stocked with bumper supply of coal - 25 per cent higher than last year and a massive 71 per cent more than in 2022, when the sector faced a domestic coal shortage.

- SHREYA JAI & DHRUVAKSH SAHA

The national average coal stock with thermal power units stands at a comfortable 16 days at present.

While the domestic production of coal during these summer months has grown 8-10 per cent over last year, easing of transportation bottlenecks has been the real catalyst of change. Imported coal currently accounts for 9-10 per cent of the total national coal stock.

According to senior coal ministry officials, the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC), finally operationalised in October 2023, is among the major drivers of improved coal supply. "The rake movement on the EDFC route has become three times faster. The congestion that originated from Mughalsarai-Sonnagar and continued till Delhi-Punjab has eased significantly because of EDFC," said a senior official.

The average coal stock position at the 20 thermal power plants that fall in or around the EDFC route is 25 days. Some of them have as high as 36 days of stock, according to railways data.