The Ministry of Coal in India stepped up efforts to move coal to thermal power plants with critical fuel stocks, with daily rake loading rising by 20% over four days to 444 rakes on September 6 from 370 on September 3, local media reported on September 7.

The ministry said on September 7 that it was closely tracking thermal plants holding coal stocks below 25% of their normative requirement and had taken corrective supply steps to improve their situation.

Coal India Limited (CIL) held about 76 million tonnes of coal at its pitheads, indicating that production-side availability remained sufficient and that transport and evacuation were key constraints.

Daily rake loading to the power sector rose by 74 rakes or about 20% over September 3-6, the ministry data showed. Loading climbed from 370 rakes on September 3 to 387 on September 4, 413 on September 5 and 444 on September 6, with the final day marking a jump of 31 rakes from the previous day.

Most producers record higher loading

The gains were spread across most coal-producing companies. Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd saw the largest single-day growth, up 12 rakes to 111 on September 6. Captive blocks added six rakes to reach 72, while Bharat Coking Coal Ltd increased loading by eight rakes to 25.

Northern Coalfields Ltd and private washeries and goodsheds each added three rakes, reaching 35 and 42, respectively. Central Coalfields Ltd and South Eastern Coalfields Ltd recorded smaller increases, taking their totals to 36 and 46, respectively. Eastern Coalfields Ltd and Western Coalfields Ltd held steady at 23 and 29 rakes.

As a result, overall CIL siding loading reached 305 rakes on September 6, up 26 from the previous day.

CIL offers more coal through road mode

The rise in rake loading follows measures announced last week to strengthen supplies to power plants. CIL said power plants with Fuel Supply Agreements could now lift additional coal, including quantities beyond their Annual Contracted Quantities, through road mode as well as rail.

The ministry noted that CIL's average daily dispatch to the power sector had improved to 1.5 million tonnes on September 4, up from about 1.35 million tonnes during the first three days of the month.

The higher rake loading builds on strong coal deliveries to the power sector in August, when CIL supplied 48.46 million tonnes, a 4.5% increase over the same month last year. Total coal supplies for the month stood at 60.60 million tonnes, up 5.5% year on year.