New Delhi: Power major NTPC Limited has reported an 83 percent rise in coal production in the April-September period of this financial year compared to a year ago period, the company said in a statement on Tuesday. "NTPC Ltd has reported a substantial growth of 83 percent in coal production from its captive mines during H1 FY 2023-24 as compared to the corresponding period in the previous year," the statement said.
The company achieved a coal production of 16.05 million metric tonnes (MMT) during H1 FY24, as compared to 8.76 MMT in H1 FY23 (April-September 2022). In addition, NTPC has also achieved a coal despatch of 17.20 MMT in H1 FY24, marking a significant 94 percent increase over the previous year for the same period.
Till date, NTPC has produced more than 85 million metric tonnes (MMT) of coal from its four operational captive coal mines, ie Pakri Barwadih & Chatt-Bariatu Coal Mines in Jharkhand, Dulanga Coal Mine in Odisha and Talaipalli Coal Mine in Chhattisgarh.
Further, mine operations have also started from the Kerendari mine in Jharkhand in April 2023 and coal production is expected to start in the current fiscal. NTPC Ltd is India's largest integrated power utility, contributing 25 percent of the power requirement of the country.
The news is significant because India's power demand has witnessed an unprecedented growth in September and is slated to grow further. Despite increase in domestic coal production, the government has asked all thermal power plants to blend up to 4 percent imported coal in order to meet the power demand. In the backdrop of this situation, an increase in captive coal production is a crucial development.