INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Government is considering keeping strategic coal and gas reserves to tide over future shortagesAs the number of power plants which are left
with less than 4 days of coal reserves continues to stay high as they reached 61 on October 19 from 58 on October 18, the government is
intending to preserve tactical reserves of gas and imported coal to supplement future demand.Power Secretary Alok Kumar, while resolving an
occasion arranged by market body CII on Thursday, stated that it is time to start thinking of keeping strategic reserves of gas and imported
coal so that such supply shocks can be overcome.Mr Kumar gave the example of Russia and said that countries satisfy their own needs
initially whenever there is a power crisis like scenario and lower materials to European countries since they required it locally.After
being struck by severe coal lack previously this month, while the stocks of dry fuel at power plants across the country have improved, the
crisis like circumstance continues.The government on its part had first said that there is no crisis as Power Minister R K Singh had
actually claimed that plants had enough coal stock, nevertheless these had to be quick replenished as a number of states faced possibilities
of outages.Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi just recently stated that coal products to power plants will be increased to 2.2 million tonnes
day-to-day to help fuel stocks reach 10 million tonnes by 2021, from today levels of around 7.5 million tonnes.India's existing coal
crisis has accompanied a sharp spike in electricity need, growth in variety of electricity customers, and insufficient stocking up by power
projects before the monsoon.Also, heavy rains in September impacted coal production and dispatch, and non-payments of coal charges likewise
contributed towards inadequate supply.
