Coal India Limited (CIL), the state-owned coal mining giant in India, has achieved a major milestone by surpassing its annual coal supply target for the financial year 2022-23. According to the latest data, CIL has supplied a record 610.8 million tonnes of coal to domestic power plants by March 27th, breaking its original target of 610 million tonnes for the fiscal year.
This marks the highest ever coal dispatch by CIL to the Indian power sector. The company achieved a 29.3 million tonnes growth in coal supplies to thermal power plants compared to the same period last year. With daily coal dispatches averaging 1.76 million tonnes currently, CIL is leveraging the increased demand from the power industry to deliver energy security to the nation.
In the previous fiscal year of 2021-22, CIL's coal offtake to power generators stood at 586.6 million tonnes, exceeding its committed quantity of 565 million tonnes. This trend continues with the recent all-time high supply figure. Domestic coal stockpiles at power plants have also increased substantially to 47.1 million tonnes as of March 26th compared to last year.
CIL is now focusing on ramping up coal production ahead of the peak electricity demand season this summer when power requirements can surge to an estimated 250 gigawatts. The company is taking steps to ensure sufficient coal availability and minimize import dependency during higher demand periods.
