Heatwave Drains Coal Stocks at India’s Power Plants
What Happened
Nearly a third of India’s coal-fired power plants are operating with critically low coal inventories despite efforts to boost supplies. The number of plants with less than 25% of required coal stock, or enough fuel for under three days of generation, rose to 59 as of September 9, up from 45 at the end of August. Electricity demand has remained near record highs, touching around 267 GW, driven by prolonged heat and increased cooling needs.
Key Takeaways
India is not facing an overall coal shortage yet, but logistics and weather-related disruptions are straining supplies to power plants. The government has increased rail and road deliveries, though sustained high power demand could keep pressure on the system.