New Delhi, May 27: State-run Coal India Limited (CIL) on Tuesday said it has sufficient coal inventories to meet peak summer demand from thermal power plants, assuring that current stock levels are adequate and there is no supply-side concern.
The company said the total coal stock buffer available for use currently stands at around 168 million tonnes (MT), including inventories at thermal power plants, CIL mine heads, transit points and coal moving through railway networks.
Coal stocks at domestic coal-based thermal power plants stood at 47.6 MT as of May 23, while inventories at CIL mine heads reached 113.5 MT as of May 24, nearly 10 per cent higher than the corresponding period last year.
According to CIL, the available stock at power plants is sufficient to meet nearly 19 days of fuel requirements.
In addition, around 3 MT of coal is available at transit points such as goods sheds, ports and private washeries, while nearly 4 MT remains in transit through railway rakes.
The company emphasised that seasonal declines in coal inventories at power plants during summer months are routine and should not be interpreted as an indication of supply stress.
CIL, which accounts for over 80 per cent of India’s coal production, also said nearly 50 MT of in-situ coal is readily available for extraction and dispatch in case of additional demand.
As of May 20, a total of 21 thermal power plants were classified under criticality, including 11 domestic coal-based units, of which seven source fuel from Coal India.
The company said it has been regularly engaging with power producers to encourage advance inventory build-up, particularly for plants located in logistically sensitive regions.
A senior official said coal stockpiles are also being strengthened at mining pitheads as a precautionary measure to address any potential disruptions arising from volatility in global oil and gas supplies.
Coal India said the Ministry of Coal continues to support reliable fuel availability through policy facilitation, close monitoring and stakeholder coordination aimed at ensuring uninterrupted operations across critical sectors.
