Coal India trade unions will need longer strike to dent current coal stock position

<p> </p><p>According to the National Power Portal, there are 114 power plants (out of 131) in the country with 12 days of coal stock available as on Monday (September 23). There are only three plants with less than four days of coal stock. Two plants have less than seven days of stock. This means that most of the thermal power plants in the country have adequate coal available with them.</p><p>The Minister for Coal and Mines, Pralhad Joshi, said that the situation will be normalised after the day-long strike, called by five CIL trade unions, namely the Indian National Mineworkers’ Federation (INTUC), Hind Khadan Mazdoor Federation (HMS), Indian Mineworkers’ Federation (AITUC), All India Coal Workers’ Federation (CITU) and All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU).</p><p>When speaking with journalists on Tuesday, Joshi also said that he is open to negotiation with the unions on their demand to roll back the decision to allow 100 per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the coal mining sector</p><p>This significantly improved coal stock availability can be a function of suppressed demand for power along with higher renewable energy and hydropower generation.</p><p>In the current financial year, till September 21, there has been a 5.05 per cent lower thermal power generation compared with the planned generation. This is a shortfall of 27,209.70 million units (actual generation was 511,917.30 million units). But, on the other hand, Nuclear power generation is up 9.36 per cent by 1,924.53 million units (total generation being 22,484.90 million units) and hydropower generation is up 9 per cent by 7,439.32 million units (total generation at 90,130.17 million units) from the planned generation during this period.</p><p>In total, there has been 2.73 per cent lower power generation than planned in the current financial year till last Saturday (September 21). This is a shortfall of 17,606.95 million units compared to the planned electricity generation during this period. The total generation stood at 628,176.33 million units from April 1, 2019 till September 21, 2019.</p><p>Referred from Business Line</p>

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