Govt steps up coal imports to meet record electricity demands
By Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi, March 28: Top officials in the Ministry of Power are literally burning midnight lamps to deal with situations arising out of harsh summer. The officials have assessed that the peak power demands will break all records this summer.
“All efforts are being made to ensure that the consumers and the industries are not affected because of the likely shooting up of the electricity demands in the country. At the same time we have already ensured a mechanism by which the peak power per unit cost cannot exceed Rs 12,” said a top ranking official in the Ministry of Power.
The harsh summer, which was likely to have set in March only, got a breather because of the unseasonal rains and hailstorm in parts of the country. “Still, the assessment is that harsh summer will be before us from April onwards, which may last up to July this year,” added the official.
To brace up for the peak power demand, the coal-based power generation companies have been asked to import coals. “We have given instructions that seven per cent more coal could be imported this year against the last fiscal. Already, coal imports are taking place from Russia because of the discounted pricing,” added the official.
With thrust clearly on coal imports, it’s evident that the alternative sources of energy from solar and wind have not been able to scale up their productions. Seventy per cent of India’s electricity needs is still met by coal-based power generation companies.
“Russia and Indonesia have been top destinations for coal imports for the country. India is not importing coal to the scale of China. But Russia has given a diversity to our import basket,” added the official.
The officials have also held meetings with the management executives of the power producers, asking them for full capacity utilisation of their facilities. The officials are wary that there could be rerun of situations akin to last year when India had faced coal shortage, which had led to power outages in parts of the country.
With low ash coking coal in India being scarce, the government thrust is on its import from Russia and Indonesia. For faster shipment of the imported coals, the Ministry of Power is also arranging additional rakes with the Ministry of Power.
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