Production of coal, dispatch, removal of overburden and generation of thermal and solar power in Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) has been going on in full steam despite the surge in COVID-19 spread this financial year with April month posting healthy statistics overcoming the blues of April last year.
According to SCCL officials, coal production this April saw 62.9% growth compared to April last year as 48.56 lakh tonnes of coal has been produced during the first month of current fiscal against 30 lakh tonnes of coal production in April last year hit by COVID-19 lockdown.
In dispatch of the coal produced, there was 79% increase this April compared to April last year as 54.43 lakh tonnes coal was dispatched this April against 30.4 lakh tonnes in last April.
Similarly, the company posted 27.5% growth in overburden removal this April compared to April last by removing 347 lakh cubic meters against 272.2 lakh cubic meters. As the demand for energy is higher during the summer season, the company has ensured seamless supply of coal at about 1.8 lakh tonnes per day to the thermal power units depending on Singareni supplies. Coal was moved in 940 railway rakes during April with an average of 31 rakes every day.
Chairman and Managing Director of the company N. Sridhar has asked the officials to meet targets of at least 1.9 lakh tonnes of coal production and dispatch everyday and removal of 13.5 lakh cubic meters of over burden.
In power generation, the thermal power plant at Pegadapalli in Mancherial district has generated 822.53 million units of energy in April with a plant load factor of 98.53%. Similarly, the solar power plants of the company have generated 46.95 million units of energy during the month. In April last year, the thermal power generation was 411.05 million units with a PLF of 98.43%. The company supplied 777.21 million units of energy to meet the State’s needs in April.
In financial terms, the company has posted 41% growth in sales this April as the volume of sales were ₹1,693 crore against ₹1,201 crore in April last year with profit during the month rising to ₹203 crore against only ₹17.65 crore in April last year.
