Coal price hike by BCCL, CCL to impact power, steel cos: CCAI

The Coal Consumers' Association of India (CCAI) today said hike in coal prices by Bharat Coking Coal will impact power consumers as energy cost will firm up by 20-40 paise per unit while the increase in coking coal and washery grade prices by Central Coalfields will affect the sluggish steel sector.
"The overall impact on power cost may be to the tune of 40 paise per unit," said CCAI General Secretary Subhasri Chaudhuri.
A DVC official told PTI that it gets about 40 per cent of its coal requirement from BCCL, which is mostly washery grade. Hence, its energy cost would go up between 25-30 paise per unit.

"For the first time in the history of CIL, a particular quality has been linked to import parity price and it has been increased by 99 per cent at one go," Chaudhuri said.
In its observation, CCAI said though the Centre is discouraging import of coal, consumers are compelled to import the dry fuel due to pricing reasons.