Fuel level at 45 coal power plants at ‘critical,’ reveals govt data

Forty-five coal power plants in India are currently operating with critically low coal inventories, according to government data released on August 25. The situation has worsened as monsoon rains have disrupted coal supplies, and electricity demand has surged due to hotter-than-usual weather linked to El Niño. The number of plants with coal stocks below 25% of their required inventory or with supplies that can only last for less than three days has surged from 31 at the end of July to 45.

The affected plants, 40 of which are domestic coal-fired, are located in key coal-rich states including Odisha, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh. These states have experienced heavy rainfall, which has hampered both coal mining and transportation to power plants. A commodities consultancy, BigMint, reported that coal stocks at power plants have fallen by 19% from end-July levels, with current stocks standing at 30.95 million tons - enough to last just around 10 days of operation.

This shortage of coal comes at a time when India is experiencing its weakest monsoon since 2009, with El Niño-linked uneven rainfall driving up demand for electricity, particularly for air-conditioning. The lower coal stocks are a result of a significant inventory drawdown through August. An official from India's largest thermal power producer, NTPC, told Reuters that some plants require five to six rakes of coal, but only receive half of that amount.

India has received 12% less rainfall than normal this monsoon season, leading to increased reliance on coal-fired power generation, especially during the night when cooling demand remains high. The power ministry has asked some coal-fired plants to delay planned maintenance until the supply situation becomes clearer. The sources could not be named as they were not authorized to speak to the media.