Coal India (CIL) began FY'24 on a high note with an impressive 31% growth in over burden removal (OBR) in April'23 compared to same month year ago. This helps in stepping up production in the upcoming monsoon months. The company also logged a whopping 44% y-o-y growth in supplies to non-regulated sector (NRS).

Sustaining the growth trend of previous fiscal, CIL excavated 169.5 million cubic metres of OB in April'23 achieving 109% target satisfaction. Compared to 129.6 M.Cu.M in April'22 the growth was 31%.

CIL's production in April'23 grew by 7.7% to 57.6 MTs. The volume increase of 4.1 MTs was achieved over a high base of 53.5 MTs of April'22. All the subsidiaries of CIL have registered the highest ever production for the month of April, except ECL.

“Production could have been even higher by around 1 MTs but for the stoppage of work for four days by contractual workers in Talcher coalfields of MCL”, said a senior official of CIL.

CIL's coal supplies shot up to 62.3 MTs in April'23, ahead by nearly 5 MTs against the comparable month of last year when the off-take was 57.4 MTs. The 8.6% growth during the month was built over a high base. All of CIL's producing units logged growth.

Stabilizing the demand from the power sector, CIL's focus on ramping up coal delivery to NRS witnessed a sharp 44% growth in April'23. The company supplied 11.8 MTs to its NRS customers compared to 8.2 MTs of April'22.

Supplies to coal fired plants of the country rose to 50.6 MTs in April'23 compared to 49.3 MTs of last year's April, with 1.3 MT increase.

Coal availability is comfortable with domestic coal based power plants stocked with 33.8 MTs as of April'23 end. This is 62% higher than 20.8 MTs of same period last year. Stock depletion during April'23 was merely 0.8 MTs, at the plants' end, compared to 34.6 MTs at the beginning of FY'24.

Coal inventory at CIL's pitheads stood at 64.6 MTs at April'23 end, which is 13% higher than same period last year. Higher production by CIL ensured stocks reducing only 4.9 MTs during the month. CIL began the fiscal with coal stock of 69.5 MTs.

There is a total 115 MTs of coal stock in the system which includes 33.8 MTs at domestic coal based at power plants; CIL pitheads 64.6 MTs; stock at private washeries, goods sheds, captive mines and ports 13.3 MTs while coal in rakes on run, that is, coal in transit is 3.5 MTs.

”Hopefully there would be no criticality on account of coal”, said the official.