Indian power companies may import 82 MT coal in 2013-14

Indian power producers may import 82 million tonne (MT) coal in the current fiscal to meet raw material requirements, the government said today. The Central Electricity Authority has import target of 50 MT coal for 25 power utilities to meet the shortfall in the domestic availability, Minister of State for Coal Pratik Prakashbapu Patil said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

In addition, 32 MT coal was assessed to be imported by power utilities for plants designed on imported coal, he said, adding that "total coal estimated to be imported during 2013-14 has been targeted around 82 MT". Coal imports by Indian companies had touched a record of 137.56 MT last fiscal to meet the shortfall, despite meeting the 97 per cent domestic supply target at 557.70 MT.

Recently, NTPC -- the largest domestic electricity generating company -- had floated tender to import 5 MT coal. Provisions have been made in the the model fuel supply agreement (FSA) for imports, Patil said, adding that coal supply situation to the power plants has improved. Quoting a status report of the CEA dated August 11, he said that only 6 thermal power plants (TPPs) out of 99 in the country are carrying critical coal stock of less than 7 days. "In view of comfortable coal stock position, a number of power plants have started regulating coal supplies from CIL sources," Patil said.

Replying to a separate question, he said that as many as 82 FSAs, for supply of 131 MT coal, has been signed by Coal India. The agreements will serve 34,793 MW power capacity. The government recently decided that Coal India will meet 65 to 75 per cent of the coal demand during the current Five Year Plan for power plants commissioned between April, 2009 and March, 2015.

Rest of the requirements for the plants, estimated to have a capacity of 78,000 MW, will be met through imports, for which Coal India may act as a facilitator.