Coal India Ltd (CIL) has registered over four per cent rise in production at around 622.6 million tonnes (mt) in 2021-22, as compared with 596.2 mt in FY21. Its total off-take increased by nearly 15 per cent at around 662 mt as compared to 574.5 mt during FY21.

The growth in production comes after shrinkage in output during the last two years. Production of 622.6 mt during FY22 eclipses the State-owned coal miner’s previous high of 607 mt recorded in 2018-19, CIL said in a statement. ‘

Coal output and offtake targets are pegged at 700 mt for FY23 and the company is hopeful of achieving it backed by sustained performance.

“CIL has turned out a prolific performance, as the second wave of Covid during the first quarter of FY22, and the extended monsoon threatened production and loading operations. Handling volatility of coal demand from the power sector in second half of the year was another challenge,” the release said.

CIL which began FY22 with 99.13 mt of stock at its pitheads could liquidate 38.4 mt of coal at the end of FY22, the highest liquidation for any year.

Supplies to power sector

Amid rising coal demand from the country’s power generation companies, CIL’s supplies to the power sector soared to a record 540.4 mt representing a growth of 21 per cent compared to 445 mt in FY-21.

“Even compared to pandemic free FY20 and FY19 the growth in supplies to power sector logged 16 per cent and 10 per cent respectively,” the release said. 

The sharp 95.4 mt supply expansion in FY22 is higher than the collective increase achieved during the previous seven year period. Coal supplies to power sector rose to 445 mt in 2020-21 from 353.8 mt in 2013-14, up by 91.2 mt.

The annual increment of 87.4 mt total off-take is more than the combined rise of 85.1 mt of last six years, from 489.4 mt in 2014-15 to 574.5 mt in 2020-21.

CIL’s average loading at 271.2 rakes per day grew by over 12 per cent compared to the average of 241.4 rakes loaded in FY21.

With focus on production boost CIL has cleared 16 coal mining projects of which seven are green field and nine expansion projects. They have a total capacity of nearly 100 mt per annum and incremental capacity of 56.7 mt per annum. Of the identified 15 MDO projects, work order has been issued for five projects of 96 mt per annum capacity during FY22.

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