New Delhi, Sept. 6 -- State-owned Coal India Limited (CIL) is reportedly allowing power plants that have fuel supply arrangements with the company and its subsidiaries to procure additional coal beyond their annual contracted quantities.

The Times of India reported on Sunday that the CIL move comes at a time when stocks at thermal power stations continue to decline. Citing data from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), the report added that at least 57 power plants were reporting critically low coal stocks on Friday. The combined stock stood at 27.1 million tonnes (MT), equivalent to 47 per cent of the 57.7 MT recommended level. This marked a further deterioration from Saturday, when TOI reported that 50 of the 190 coal-fired plants ...