On Tuesday, the Ministry of Coal told the media that coal stocks with CIL are sufficient to meet the increase in Power demand being observed in the country since July 2021. The Ministry of Coal is prepared to address the stock build-up issue at the end of the Thermal Power Plants (TPPs) during the monsoon season. The coal supply to the power plants is being observed at the highest level in the ministry daily in coordination with the Ministry of Power, railways and the coal companies. The Coal Secretary examined the supply scenario with the Coal firms on 27th August and 30th August. The Coal Secretary has provided specific instructions to the coal firms to provide priority supplies to all the TPPs having crucial stock levels and to concentrate on stock liquidation from the mines having high stock levels. He has additionally directed that alternative sources should be allocated in case of availability problems at linked mines for the smooth working of the plant. The dispatches are being followed with the advisories of the Power Ministry. Coal India Limited (CIL) has moved up its coal supplies actively during the last five days of August 2021, continually clocking 1.7 million tonnes (mt) per day. Increasing supplies to coal fired power projects, CIL is pumping 1.36 mt of coal every day. The last three-day average loading to the power sector has reached 1.4 mt. The supply of coal to TPPs has picked up only in July and has been at a historic high since then. All efforts are being made in cooperation with railway officials to improve dispatch to match the unprecedented increase in demand for coal-based power. The subsidiaries of CIL have raised their loading commensurate with the current demand situation. On August 30, Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), in a record performance, dispatched 102 rakes. CIL recorded the biggest ever loading since July 2021, of 285 rakes in a single day from CIL sidings On August 30. The coal stocks depletion rate in TPPs has now much diminished. In the coming days, the supplies from the coal firms to the power plants are likely to enhance further to stand by the country in these crucial monsoon months and meet the power sector demand. It is anticipated that in the coming few days, the coal stock at TPPs will stabilise and start increasing. Image Source Also read: Coal India plans Rs 17,000 cr capital expenditure target in FY22