State-owned CIL aims to supply 610 MT coal to power plants in FY24

State-owned Coal India Ltd (CIL) on Wednesday said it is aiming to supply 610 million tonne coal to power plants in the current fiscal.

In the just concluded financial year 2022-23, the miner supplied a record 586.6 million tonne (MT) dry fuel to coal-fired power plants.

"CIL supply to the power sector is pegged at 610 MT to meet the demand of coal fired plants in 2023-24. This is 23.4 MT more or 4 per cent higher than the record 586.6 MT supplied in FY23," the company said in a statement.

In the wake of forecasts that a hot summer may push up coal demand, CIL said it is gearing itself to meet the requirement on the back of adequate coal stocks at its pitheads and increased production in the first quarter of FY24.

In FY23, CIL surpassed its target of 700 MT for the fiscal and produced 703.20 MT of coal, 13 per cent higher from 622.63 MT in 2021-22.

"With increasing production and adequate coal stock of 69 MT at our pitheads, we aim to meet the projected target with our best shot and satiate the demand. Ramping up production should not be a problem," a company executive said.

The domestic coal available in the system as of April 1, 2023 is around 125 MT. This includes 69.6 MT at CIL's pitheads, 34.6 MT at thermal power plants, 13.7 MT at goods sheds, washeries, captive mines and ports put together, around 3 MT in transit and 4.5 MT at Singareni Collieries Company Limited.

Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi recently said both private and public companies have been directed to continue with their coal production during April and May.

The minister also assured of an uninterrupted supply of coal in the approaching summer season -- when the peak demand is expected to be 229 GW during April.