New Delhi, Sept. 26 -- The Ministry of Power is considering a proposal to mandate the use of imported coal by thermal power plants as one of the measures to address critically low coal inventories, although no decision has been taken yet.

Coal stocks at India's thermal power stations fell to 22.9 million tonnes (mt) as of September 19, reducing the available fuel cover to seven days and leaving inventories at just 39 per cent of the normative requirement.

74 Thermal Plants Face Critical Stock Levels

According to Central Electricity Authority (CEA) data, 74 of the country's 190 thermal power plants were facing critically depleted coal stocks as of September 19, up from 51 plants in August.

A senior Power Ministry official said the prop...