The Minister for Power & New and Renewable Energy RK Singh, in a recent session of Parliament on Tuesday, shared some key updates on the power and energy sectors in India. One of the key highlights was the coal stock at thermal power plants, which stood at about 34 million tonnes on March 5. This is sufficient to run the plant for 12 days at an 85 percent plant load factor, indicating a steady supply of coal for power generation.

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However, Singh also pointed out that the current coal stock is only at 50 percent of the stocking norms issued by the Central Electricity Authority, indicating the need for continued efforts to ensure an adequate supply of coal for power generation.

Another important update shared by the Minister was that the blending of ethanol in petrol during 2021-22 had resulted in a forex savings of Rs. 2,341 crore.

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This is a significant achievement towards reducing the country's dependence on imported fuel and promoting the use of renewable energy sources.

In addition, Singh also highlighted the job creation potential of the renewable energy sector, citing the 'Renewable Energy and Jobs Annual Review 2022' report. The report stated that 85,000 jobs were created in the biogas industry in India, showcasing the potential of renewable energy to drive economic growth and job creation in the country.

Finally, the Minister also spoke about the use of intelligence and machine learning to detect cases of theft through the analysis of data generated by smart meters.

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