DVC to meet its coal demand fully from captive mines in three years: chairman

Kolkata, Nov 21 (PTI) The Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) will be able to meet its own coal demand from captive mines over the next three years, chairman S Suresh Kumar said here on Friday.

Addressing the Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) here, Kumar said the corporation expects to generate 50 million tonnes of coal per annum from its captive mines over the next three years.

DVC currently needs 24 million tonnes of coal per annum, he said, adding that it would increase once the thermal generation capacities increase.

Kumar said DVC would no longer need to depend on Coal India and its subsidiaries for supplies once its captive mines increase production.

He also raised concerns over the quality of coal supplied by state-owned firms.

The chairman said DVC, which played a key role in building the industrial ecosystem in the Damodar valley region, would be making capital expenditure towards capacity addition and modernisation of distribution network using AI and ML.

The corporation, which supplies power to West Bengal and Jharkhand, will be making capital expenditure of around Rs 66,000 crore for expansion of thermal, solar and battery energy storage capacities, he said. PTI dc MNB