Coal minister Pralhad Joshi on June 17 assured that there would be no power cuts in the country from now onwards due to coal shortage.
Thermal power plants have average coal stock of almost 12 days
The statement comes weeks after low stock at power plants crippling country’s power generation. The minister said that as on date the thermal power plants have average coal stock of almost 12 days. Besides, he said, there is also a coal stock of around 50-55 million tonnes.
On recent reports on coal shortages, the minister said that no part of the country faced power cuts due to fuel shortage.
He added that thermal power plants had a coal stock of four to five days, but the environment was created so that after four to five days, it would be completely dark. He stated that coal stock is replenished on a daily basis and that coal is continuously sent to the plants.
Coal is imported to avoid crisis
The minister also stated that Coal India, which accounts for more than 80% of domestic coal output, is importing coal as a precautionary measure to avoid a crisis caused by waterlogging in mines during the monsoon season.
The coal ministry said in a statement that the government has initiated a number of reforms to further increase the production of coal to meet the growing energy demands of the nation.
Virtually releasing ‘Reforms & Achievements of Ministry of Coal Since 2014’ that highlights the major achievements of the ministry during the last eight years, Pralhad Joshi said that a number of path-breaking reforms have been undertaken to provide further fillip to overall coal production and offtake.
All efforts are on to double the production of coking coal domestically
Coal secretary Anil Kumar Jain said that all efforts are on to double the production of coking coal domestically. Despite fast escalating demand, the ministry of coal has taken a number of initiatives to make available coal at stable prices, he added.
