(a) whether the electricity generation through thermal power projects is being adversely affected due to shortage of coal supply in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the electricity generation capacity of thermal power projects in the country during March 2017; and
(c) the percentage of production capacity of these projects being utilized to generate electricity during the current year 2018-19?
THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR POWER
AND NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY
( SHRI R. K. SINGH )
(a) & (b) : The total coal receipt in the power plants was 417.6 Million Tonne (MT) during the current year 2018-19 (upto November, 2018) against 382.1 MT during the same period during last year showing a growth of 9.3%. As a result, the coal stock in coal based power plants monitored on daily basis by Central Electricity Authority, has improved to 15.5 MT sufficient for 10 days on 20.12.2018 as compared to 12.6 MT sufficient for 9 days on the same day last year.
Due to improvement in coal supply to power plants, the electricity demand in the country continues to be met largely by coal based generation, which is around 70% of the total generation in the country.
The generation of electricity from coal based power plants during 2018-19 (till November 2018) was 658 Billion Unit (BU) against 624 BU during the same period last year, thus showing a growth of 5.5%.
As on 31.03.2017, the electricity generation capacity of thermal power projects in the country was 2,18,330 MW.
(c) : The Plant Load Factor (PLF) of the coal based generating stations during the current year 2018-19 (upto November, 2018)was 61.10% which was more than the PLF of 58.8% during the same period last year. Thus average utilization of coal based power projects have increased as compared to the last year.
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