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Thermal power plants monitored by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) had 33.5 million tonne of coal stock as on Sunday, which was sufficient to run them for 12 days at 85 per cent capacity utilisation, Parliament was informed on Thursday. This assumes significance in view of projection of an unprecedented high demand of electricity during this summer. Electricity demand is expected to touch 229 GW next month as per power ministry estimates. "As on 12.03.2023, the total coal stock available with coal-based thermal power plants monitored in CEA is 33.5 Million Tonne (MT), which is sufficient for an average of 12 days at a requirement of 85 per cent Plant Load Factor (PLF)," Union Power Minister R K Singh said in a written reply to Lok Sabha. In another reply to the House, Singh stated that as on January 31, 2023, coal (including lignite) based installed capacity was 51.27 per cent of the total installed capacity. The CEA has carried out generation expansion planning studies and
Coal imports cannot be reduced to zero as several thermal power projects in India are designed to utilise the imported dry fuel for its high calorific value and blending it with domestic coal is also needed to maintain fuel stocks, Parliament was informed on Tuesday. "The power plants designed for utilizing high Gross Calorific Value (GCV) non-coking coal, and cement, sponge iron, aluminum customers are utilizing high-ranked low ash coal. The coal requirement for such category of consumers cannot be substituted by domestic coal. Thus, import of coal cannot be reduced to zero," Power Minister R K Singh said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha. Singh said thermal power plants have been importing coal for blending since 2009. During 2022-23 (till January 2023), Coal India Ltd despatched 485.99 million tonne (provisional) coal to the power sector as compared to 440.05 MT during the same period a year ago, registering a growth of about 10 per cent. However, he stated that with the ris
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has constituted a committee to submit a factual report regarding the issue of air pollution caused by the transportation of fly ash by various thermal power stations in Singrauli and Sonebhadra regions. Fly ash is a byproduct of coal-based power stations. The tribunal was hearing a petition which claimed that the authorities responsible for monitoring and supervising the transportation were not following the provisions of law and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) guidelines. A bench comprising judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member A Senthil Vel constituted a joint committee comprising representatives of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, CPCB and the state pollution control boards. "The report shall highlight the compliance with the aforesaid provisions relating to the transportation of fly ash in accordance with Singrauli and Sonebhadra action plan to maintain the environmental quality of this ...
State-owned power giant NTPC has co-fired 77,000 tonnes of biomass till date at 14 of its thermal power plants across the country, a company official said on Thursday. Company's Director (Operations) Ramesh Babu made the remarks at a workshop organised in Chandigarh in association with SAMART (Sustainable Agrarian Mission on use of Agro Residue in Thermal Power Plants) on 'Ex-situ utilisation of agricultural residue for co-firing in thermal power plants', NTPC said in a statement. The power ministry's policy on 'Biomass Utilization for Power Generation through Co-firing in Coal based Power Plants' issued in October 2021 mandates all thermal power plants in the country to use 5 to 10 per cent biomass along with coal for power production. In his address "Ramesh Babu, Director(Operations), NTPC Ltd, highlighted the potential of biomass as untapped resource, additional source of income, high scale of demand and favourable government policies. "He also informed about various initiatives
Thermax on Friday reported a 4.4 per cent decline in consolidated net profit at Rs 102.54 crore for the quarter ended March. The company had reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 107.35 crore in the year-ago period, according to a BSE filing. Total income of the company in the March quarter was at Rs 2,027.62 crore as against Rs 1,610.34 crore in the same period a year ago. "Profit After Tax (PAT) stood at Rs 103 crore, down 4 per cent as compared to Rs 107 crore in the corresponding quarter of FY21. Profitability was lower due to increased commodity and freight costs during the quarter," the company said in a statement. The consolidated net profit of the company rose to Rs 312.31 crore in the fiscal year 2021-22 from Rs 206.58 crore in 2020-21. Total income in the fiscal was at Rs 6,255.34 crore as against Rs 4,898.99 crore in 2020-21. The company's board has recommend a dividend of Rs 9 per equity share of Rs 2 each (450 per cent) for the financial year 2021-22. Thermax Gro