CHENNAI (Reuters) – India’s electricity demand grew 4.9% during the first half of October, with supply falling short of demand by 1.4% despite a 3.2% rise in coal-fired generation and 30% rise in solar output, a Reuters analysis of government data showed.
Increased economic activity after the second wave of the coronavirus has driven up electricity demand, resulting in a supply deficit due to a coal shortage that has forced northern states to cut power this month for up to 14 hours a day https://www.reuters.com/world/india/exclusive-indian-states-suffer-power-cuts-coal-stocks-shrink-2021-10-08.
The rapid surge in power demand and high global coal prices have left utilities scampering for coal – India’s dominant source of power generation – despite record supplies from state-run Coal India, a near-monopoly in coal production.
