CIL offers extra fuel, 57 plants now report critically low stock

Stocks available at thermal power plants fell furtherNEW DELHI: State-run Coal India Limited (CIL) has offered power plants having fuel supply agreements with it and its subsidiaries to lift additional quantities of coal, over and above the quantities stipulated in their annual contracts, as stocks available at thermal power plants fell further.Central Electricity Authority (CEA) data showed that on Sept 4, the number of plants with critically low coal stocks had increased to 57. The total stock availability was estimated at 27.1 MT, or 47% of the recommended requirement of 57.7 MT. TOI Saturday reported that 50 of 190 coal-fired power plants had less than 25% of the recommended coal requirement.Coal ministry said the situation was likely to improve now as intense rains over coal command r