Coal India's output rises 11% in July despite Monsoon-induced disruptions in mining activity

State-owned CIL on Monday said that it produced 47.3 million tonnes (MT) of coal last month, registering a growth of 11 per cent from the year-ago period.

The production of domestic coal usually dips during monsoon every year due to disruptions in mining activity.

The company's output in the corresponding month of previous fiscal was 42.6 million tonnes (MT), the coal behemoth said in a BSE filing.

Coal India Ltd (CIL) said it maintained the double-digit rising streak for four consecutive months of the current financial year.

Coal India accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic coal production.

The public sector enterprise produced 207.1 MT of coal in the first four months of the ongoing fiscal, registering a growth of 24.3 per cent over 166.6 MT in the year-ago period.

In the wake of a surge in demand from the power sector, CIL supplied 199.4 MT of coal to this sector in the April-July period of the current fiscal, 19.2 per cent more than 167.3 MT supplied in the year-ago period.

The supply of dry fuel to coal-fired plants during April-July period was at par with the projected increased requirement, it said.

Coal supply to power plants by CIL went up by 19 per cent to 47 MT during the last month.

The total coal offtake by CIL increased by 10 per cent during the first four months of the current financial year at 232 MT, compared to 211 MT in the year-ago period.

In July 2022, CIL's total offtake increased to 54.5 MT, registering a growth of 8 per cent, in spite of the the monsoon.

CIL's total offtake in the same month of last financial year was 50.4 MT.

As of July 30, total coal stock at CEA (Central Electricity Authority) monitored thermal power plants was 29.6 MT, Coal India said, adding that higher supplies from CIL helped build stock at power plants to the tune of 1.04 lakh tonnes per day during July.

Coal inventory at CIL's pitheads stood at 36 MT at the closure of last month.

Around 11.5 MT of coal is available at various loading points awaiting shipment.

"The current coal stock situation is comfortable to meet the present trend of demand, if there is no sudden generation spike as witnessed in August 2021 when stock at power plants plummeted by 11.2 MT in a month," CIL said.