COAL stocks at non-pithead thermal power plants remained consistently low during the last week till Thursday at 26 per cent of the normative levels, showing shortage of

the dry fuel amid rising

electricity demand due to scorching heat.

Experts are of the view that coal shortage can lead to a possible electricity crisis and there is a need to scale up supplies as 26 per cent of the normative level of coal at non-pithead thermal power plants is not a good sign. Non-pithead thermal power plants are situated at a distance from coal mines and stocks at these plants assume significance.

According to the latest data of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), coal stocks were 26 per cent of the normative levels at 155 pit head thermal power plants with total generation capacity of about 163 GW from Monday (April 18) to Thursday (April 21).

The CEA monitors coal stocks at 173 power plants with total generation capacity of about 202 GW that include 18 pit-head projects with a total generation capacity of about 39 GW. The pithead thermal power plants are situated near the coal mines and generally there are no issues with coal supplies there.

The data showed that coal stocks were 14,610 thousand tonnes (26 per cent) at 155 non-pit head plants against the normative level of 57,033 thousand tonnes on Thursday April 21, 2022. The data showed that the coal stock situation has deteriorated at non-pit head plants as it was better a month ago. Coal stocks were 31 per cent, 17,752 thousand tonnes of the normative level of 57,616 thousand tonnes at 155 non-pit head plants on March 21.