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NEW DELHI, Oct 22 (Reuters) – Coal supply to Indian power plants is expected to normalise soon, a senior power ministry official said on Thursday, adding that the country is supplying a record 2.6 million tons of coal to power plants every day.
- The comments come as the number of power plants with critically low coal stocks — enough fuel to generate power for less than three days — rose to 96 as of October 19 from 60 in mid-September, according to data from the Central Electricity Authority
- India increased coal supply to plants, including top power generator NTPC (NTPC.NS), after scattered rains in mining areas disrupted deliveries
- Reduced hydropower use is adding pressure on coal-fired plants as the El Niño weather pattern has affected rainfall, the official said
- Daily peak electricity demand has risen by about 45 to 50 gigawatts from a year earlier, driven by hotter weather and higher industrial production
- The federal power ministry has allocated additional power to Gujarat, India’s top industrial state, and there is no power or coal shortage in the state, the official said
- Reuters reported on Wednesday that Gujarat has asked factories to curb electricity use during evening hours to avoid power shortages due to surging demand
- Gujarat state authorities declined to comment on the report
Reporting by Reporting by Sethuraman NR; Writing by Chandni Shah in Bengaluru; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Varun H K
