Coal offtake rises 9.5% in April-August, production up 12%

Coal offtake by Coal India Ltd (CIL) has risen by 9.5 per cent during April-August to 246.90 million tonnes (mt) from 225.43 mt in the same period of last year. Production of the dry fuel went up 12 per cent to 216.23 mt, marking a 12 per cent growth in the period.

Enhanced coal despatches are slowly leading a recovery in capacity utilisation at thermal power plants. Data by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) shows Plant Load Factor (PLF) at thermal power plants improved to 61.64 per cent in April-July this fiscal, from 59.61 per cent for the corresponding period in