The supply of coal to power plants in India is increasing and is expected to stabilise soon, according to a senior official from the energy ministry in New Delhi. Currently, coal power generators are receiving an unprecedented 2.6 million tonnes of coal each day, marking a record high.

This update follows alarming news that 96 coal power plants across the nation have only enough coal for three days of operation, based on data from India’s Central Electricity Authority. A three-day supply is alarmingly low, and this figure has risen from 60 plants facing such critical shortages in mid-September.

The drop in coal stocks is occurring alongside a surge in electricity demand, primarily due to reduced output from alternative sources, especially hydroelectric power, which has been impacted by diminished rainfall. Earlier this year, experts cautioned that the El Niño phenomenon could significantly escalate coal demand in India. This climatic event disrupts wind and hydropower generation by altering typical wind and rainfall patterns. Although wind energy constitutes a minor segment of India’s energy portfolio, hydropower plays a crucial role in overall electricity production.

Additionally, increased industrial activity is exacerbating the strain on power supply. Recent reports indicate that the state of Gujarat has urged factories to cut back on electricity use during evening hours to prevent potential blackouts in the future.

In light of last month’s coal stock decline, India’s Ministry of Coal announced that local coal producers are boosting their deliveries to coal-fired power plants. However, the latest information indicates that these efforts have not sufficiently addressed the imbalance between demand and supply. So far this year, daily electricity demand has been peaking at levels 45-50 GW higher than the same period last year.

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