NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India has ample coal stocks to meet power sector demand, a coal ministry statement said on Sunday, a day after the Delhi Chief Minister said a shortage of the fuel meant the Indian capital could face a power crisis https://www.reuters.com/world/india/new-delhi-chief-minister-warns-power-crisis-coal-stocks-decline-2021-10-09.

According to a ministry statement, Coal India Ltd, a state-run coal company, is replenishing utilities with its 40m tonne inventory. This totals 7.2 million tonnes, four days of energy.

A lack of coal has caused a supply shortage in some eastern and northern states, with residents in the regions experiencing power cuts https://www.reuters.com/world/india/exclusive-indian-states-suffer-power-cuts-coal-stocks-shrink-2021-10-08 stretching to up to 14 hours a day.

The ministry stated that monsoon rains had affected coal supply to power plants, and that high global prices have curtailed the generation of utilities that depend on imported coal.

The power ministry released a separate statement stating that Saturday’s coal supply to power utilities increased to 1.92million tonnes and consumption rose to 1.87 million tonnes.

Coal India has been increasing its coal supplies, and this will lead to an increase in the stock of coal held by power firms.

Reuters reports that India’s 135 coal-fired power stations, which provide around 70% of India’s electricity supply, are down to half their capacity. They have enough fuel stock for three days.