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Indian state coal manufacturer aims to sell surplus coal at discount rate

Indian state governmentrun Odisha Coal and Power Ltd (OCPL) is seeking to sell surplus coal from its mine in eastern India at a discount rate, an auction file showed, showing lower demand for the fuel in the nation.

OCPL will auction 3 million lots of its surplus coal through online auctions on Oct. 4 for power plants at a 15% discount to the base cost on the nationwide coal index, according to an auction advertisement in the Times of India paper on Sunday.

India's total domestic coal production increased 7.12% from a. year ago to reach 370 million metric tons between April 1 to. Aug. 25, according to coal ministry information.

The sale suggests high supply and minimized demand, said Riya. Vyas, senior expert at iEnergy Natural Resources Ltd.

At the moment, electrical energy need from coal-fired power. plants is limited, while domestic production has actually increased as. the rains subside, Vyas said, describing the ending of the. yearly monsoon.

The country's coal production in the last fiscal year to. March 31 increased to a record 997.828 million tons, a 12% rise from. a year earlier. More than 75% of India's power generation was from. coal in 2023.

India imported 176 million lots of thermal coal in 2023,. driven mainly by power plants.

India's thermal coal imports are anticipated to fall this year. for the first time considering that the COVID-19 pandemic due to increasing. domestic output and record high stocks.

(source: Reuters)