Import of coal by non-regulated sectors, domestic thermal power plants drops in Apr-Sep

Coal import by non-regulated sectors (NRS) dropped 9.83% to 63.28 million tonnes (MT) in the April-September period of the ongoing financial year, the government on Wednesday said.

The coal import by NRS was 70.18 MT in year-ago period.

The coal import by domestic thermal power plants for blending purpose also declined 8.59% to 9.79 MT in the April-September period from 10.71 MT a year ago.

"This demonstrates an increased reliance on domestic coal supplies for these sectors," the coal ministry said in a statement.

However, there has been a rise in the import of coking coal, essential for the steel industry, and coal for imported coal-based (ICB) power plants, which are not substitutable by domestic coal.

The overall coal imports during April-September 2024 rose 1.36% to 129.52 million tonnes (MT) compared to 127.78 MT in the corresponding period of the previous year.

In terms of value, overall imported coal during April-September stands at ₹1.39 lakh crore, a decrease from ₹1.52 lakh crore during the same period last year.

"This reduction has resulted in huge savings of ₹13,628.73 crore demonstrating a more cost-effective approach to coal procurement," it said.

The government remains committed to reducing the dependency on imported coal where feasible, by ramping up domestic production and streamlining logistics. At the same time, imports of non-substitutable coal are strategically maintained to support critical industries like power and steel.