Coal stock of 26L tonnes across mines: SCCL

Hyderabad: The Singareni Collieries Company (SCCL), which has been supplying coal uninterruptedly to several southern states for decades, had a coal stock of 26 lakh tonnes across its mines and coal handling plants (CHPs) as of June 4 — the lowest stock level recorded in past decade.Responding indirectly to allegations made by BRS working president KTR regarding 40 lakh tonnes of coal stocks in Singareni, SCCL in a press release said on Saturday that maintaining coal stocks is a standard operational practice followed by all coal-producing companies and is crucial for ensuring uninterrupted power supply, especially during monsoon."Without adequate stock, uninterrupted coal supply to thermal power stations may become difficult. To ensure reliable power generation, SCCL maintains a minimum stock of around 30 lakh tonnes, which is equivalent to approximately 15 days' requirement of thermal power stations," SCCL stated.The SCCL noted that the practice of maintaining coal stocks is not new and has been followed consistently over the years. "SCCL had 70 lakh tonnes of coal stock in 2015–16 and 74 lakh tonnes in 2016–17. Between 2014 and 2024, the average coal stock maintained at mines and CHPs was around 50 lakh tonnes," it said. Addressing the controversy surrounding the site visit certificate introduced in a recent tender process, SCCL said its primary purpose was to ensure that bidders fully understood site conditions, safety requirements, the scope of work and local operational challenges.