India’s Power demand deficit within control but low Coal inventory a concern : Ind-Ra
Bhubaneswar: India’s Power demand deficit in the month of June was within control at 0.5% but lower Coal inventory at Thermal Power Plants is a concern, analyzed India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) in the July edition of its credit news digest on India’s power sector.
In June 2018, short-term power prices on the Indian Energy Exchange increased to INR3.73/kWh from INR2.52/kWh in June 2017 on account of peak summer season, lower hydro generation and slower pickup in wind power generation in the southern and western states on a YoY basis.
In June 2018, all India energy requirements increased 8.7% yoy to 109.0 billion units (BUs) while available energy increased 8.8% yoy to 108.4BUs, leaving a power deficit of 0.5% (June 2017: 0.5%). The power supply in June 2018 was met through higher thermal, nuclear and renewable generation. Peak demand deficit declined to 0.4% in June 2018 from 1.5% in June 2017.
The increase in power demand was met through higher electricity generation (excluding from renewable sources), which increased 4.7% yoy to 102.1BUs in June 2018, driven by a 6.6% yoy increase in thermal power generation and 5.8% yoy increase in nuclear power generation while generation from hydro power declined 3.3% yoy. Thermal plant load factors also improved yoy to 59.6% in June 2018.Total renewable generation improved 6.8% yoy to 9.3BUs in May 2018, on account of improved generation from solar power which increased to 3.3BUs in May 2018 from 2.0BUs in May 2017 while wind power generation declined to 4.4BUs from 5.0BUs.
Coal India Limited’s monthly coal production increased 12.3% yoy to 44.9 million tonnes in June 2018, aiding the growth in thermal generation. However, coal inventory at power stations remained lower yoy, driven by an increase in coal demand, owing to the peak summer season and lower yoy hydro and wind generation. The number of power stations with critical and supercritical levels declined to 15 for June 2018 from 25 in May 2018; however, remained higher yoy (June 2017: 4).