Coal stocks at pithead and on transit to thermal power plants stood at 147 million tonnes as on May 15, up 25% from 117 million tonnes during the corresponding period of last year, according to recent data from the coal ministry.

Additionally, the end stock of coal at the country’s thermal power plants stood at 45 million tonnes as against 34.83 million tonnes as on corresponding date of last year,State-owned major coal producing company, Coal India reported a pithead stock of 85 million tonnes, up 30% from last year, the ministry data showed. registering an increase of 29% 

“In a recent sub-group meeting with State Gencos at the level of the Inter-ministerial committee of Coal, Power and Railways, it has been concluded that adequate stock is available at all thermal power plants in the country,” the ministry said.

Coal production during this year is growing at 7.26% over last year, according to the government. Thermal power generation and rake supply, on the other hand, is growing at 8.78% and 8.45% respectively. 

The government has estimated peak power demand to touch 260 GW in the summer season and has taken several measures to ensure adequate electricity supply to consumers including mandatory running of imported coal based plants to their full capacity and six percent coal blending at domestic coal-based plants.

In April, the peak power demand met rose to 224.18 gigawatt (GW) as against 215.88 GW in the same period last year. In September last year, the peak demand reached 243 GW. 

For the financial year 2024-25 the power ministry has placed a demand of 874 million tonnes of coal. Of this, Coal India is expected to supply 661 million tonnes of coal.

Moreover, the company has targeted to supply 171.4 million tonnes of coal to the power sector in the first quarter of the current financial year, up 11% from 153.4 million tonnes supplied in Q1FY24.

In FY24, the peak power demand met grew by 13.9% from 210.7 GW the previous fiscal year to 239.9 GW. Relative to FY23, the energy requirement grew by 7.5% in the last financial year and the energy availability grew by 7.8%, resulting in a reduction in total energy shortfall from 0.5% in 2022-23 to 0.2% in 2023-24, according to government data.