Indian power producers import more coal

Indian coal imports by power producers increased 31% to 66 million t in April-January, compared with the same period the year before, according to the India power ministry.

Reuters reported that this increase was largely due to a continued rise in coal-fired power generation, combined with an ongoing domestic coal shortage. Electricity companies have been forced to import large amounts of coal, as state-run Coal India has struggled to meet the increased demand.

Imported coal

In April-January power producers imported 31 million t of coal to blend with lower quality varieties, as well as approximately 35 million t for plants that depend exclusively on imported coal, according to power minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

India's coal-based power generation rose 8% to 587.64 billion kilowatt hour during the period from a year earlier. Scindia added that power companies are likely to import 82 million t for the fiscal year 2013-14.

This is the first government data released on coal imports so far this fiscal year, Reuters reported.

Edited from various sources by Katie Woodward

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/power/21022014/indian_power_producers_import_more_coal_as_demand_increases_550/