India ramps up coal rail shipments as power plant stocks dwindle
India is increasing coal shipments by rail to power plants after fuel inventories at several generators fell to critically low levels, the coal ministry said on Monday.
The increase in rail shipments comes as the number of power plants holding less than 25% of required coal inventories has risen in recent weeks.
The number of plants with coal stocks below 25% of their required inventory or with critically low stocks to generate power for less than three days has risen sharply to 58 by September 5 from 46 at the end of August.
Of the affected plants, 53 are domestic coal-fired plants, according to data on the website of Central Electricity Authority, a think tank linked to the federal power ministry.
"The number of critical thermal plants is being closely monitored, with corrective coal supply measures already in place to further ease the position at these plants," the coal ministry said.
A surge in coal dispatches from State-run Coal India, its subsidiaries, and private mines has helped lift supplies, with loading rising every day since September 3, the government said.
Coal loading to power plants increased to 444 unit trains or rakes on September 6 from 370 on September 3, according to government data released on Monday.
Heavy rainfall in some of the key coal-rich Indian states, including Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, has hit mining and slowed the transportation of the fuel for power plants.
Coal accounts for about three-quarters of India's electricity generation, making uninterrupted fuel supplies crucial for maintaining grid reliability.
Coal India, the world's largest coal miner, said it continues to hold adequate stock of 76-million tons of coal at its pitheads.
Article Enquiry
Email Article
Save Article
Feedback
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
Research Reports
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
SABAT Batteries is a renowned brand in the battery industry, manufacturing a wide range of batteries at its state-of-the-art production facility in...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Sulzer South Africa, established in 1922, partners with critical industries like power, oil & gas, water, mining, and chemicals to boost...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
