India had 96 of 191 monitored coal-fired plants in a critical-stock category on Oct. 19, even as deliveries improved earlier in October and plant inventories declined.
The total was about 60 plants in mid-September. A plant enters that category when its inventory drops below a prescribed level. It indicates a supply concern, but alone does not confirm that a plant has stopped generating or faces an imminent shutdown.
Power-sector coal deliveries averaged 2.49 million metric tons per day from Oct. 1-10, exceeding September’s average of 2.21 million metric tons. Plant inventories in the domestic coal fleet nevertheless fell: the Oct. 10 total was 18.205 million metric tons, down from 18.932 million on Sept. 29. The drop extends a pattern covered in earlier reporting on plant stocks and stronger rail deliveries.
Coal-fired electricity output in September was 13.3% above its year-earlier level; hydropower generation was 20% lower. Peak daily electricity demand has also been higher this year, putting added strain on the power system. Stations with thinner inventories received redistributed coal.
