Don't fall for fear mongering, sufficient coal stock: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi

India is the world's second largest importer of coal despite also being home to the fourth largest coal reserves in the world

Daily despatch of coal to power plants has exceeded consumption, indicating a shift to gradual building up of stocks, Power Minister R K Singh said on Sunday, terming fears of blackouts “entirely misplaced”.

Singh and Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi held separate meetings with power-producing companies and coal suppliers respectively to review stocks of coal in thermal power plants and the supplies from mines.

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“Assuring everyone that there is absolutely no threat of disruption in power supply. There is sufficient coal stock of 43 million tonnes with Coal India, which is equivalent to 24 days of coal demand. Do not fall for fear-mongering,” Joshi said.

He said that with the withdrawal of monsoon, coal despatches were set to rise in the coming days.

According to the government, the daily average coal requirement at the power plants is about 18.5 lakh tonnes whereas the daily supply has been around 17.5 lakh tonnes per day.

Read | Will be alright in 3-4 days: Joshi on coal crisis

However, on Saturday the total despatch of coal from all sources was 19.2 lakh tonnes as against the demand of 18.7 lakh tonnes, a Power Ministry statement said.

“Thus, the coal despatch has exceeded the consumption, thereby indicating a shift to gradual building up of coal stock,” it said.

Singh also pulled up power distribution companies (DISCOMs) in Delhi for pressing the panic button and sending out messages to consumers to use electricity judiciously due to a shortage in coal supplies.

Read | Don't fall for fear mongering, enough coal stock: Joshi

He said that the NTPC and Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) have been directed to give full availability as per the requirement of power distribution companies. GAIL India Limited has been advised to make gas available from all sources to gas-based power plants in Delhi.

If any DISCOMs are found to resort to load shedding despite being power available as per PPA, action would be initiated against them, the statement said.

Meanwhile, electricity consumption dipped by nearly 2% or by 72 million units (MU) to 3,828 MU on Saturday compared to 3,900 MU on Friday.

The power consumption of 3,900 MU on Friday was the highest this month so far, which also became the cause of concern among the ongoing coal shortage crisis in the country.

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