India’s power supply fell about 750 million units short of demand during the first 12 days of October, largely due to a coal shortage, a deficit of 1.6% that was the worst since March 2016, data from grid regulator POSOCO showed.
The October shortfall was already the biggest in absolute terms for a single month since November 2018, even with 19 days of October still left.
Northern states such as Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, and the eastern states of Jharkhand and Bihar, were the worst affected, registering supply deficits of 2.3%-14.7%.
Increased economic activity after the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic has driven up demand for coal leading to a supply shortage, forcing northern states such as Bihar, Rajasthan and Jharkhand to cut power for up to 14 hours a day.