An unprecedented rise in fuel products and energy demand, after pandemic unlock, has plunged the country into an excessive shortage of coal. According to RK Singh, Union Minister of power and energy, India’s current shortage is the way ‘beyond’ the normal post-monsoon supply crunch, reported The Indian Express.

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In an interview with Indian Express, the Union Minister said that he is expecting the demand to get under control from the second half of  October but clarified that this issue will not be an easy affair and the country should be ready to brace up for at least next-five to six months.

“I am bracing for a trying next five-six months. I can’t say I am secure… If you have 40,000-50,000 MW (of thermal capacity) with less than three days of stock, you can’t be secure,” Singh told The Indian Express.

“I don’t know whether I will be comfortable in the next five-six, four-five months… Normally the demand starts coming down in the second half of October… when it (the weather) starts cooling… But it’s going to be touch and go,” Singh added.

As per an Indian Express report, Out of the 104 thermal plants monitored daily, 15 with a generation capacity of 14,875 MW had zero days of coal stocks on September 30, while another 39 with a capacity of 52,530 MW had stocks of less than three days. Another 6,960 MW of capacity is facing plant outage due to the unavailability of coal.

The coal shortage in India comes at the backdrop of a global energy crunch, as a sharp surge in demand across Europe, China and elsewhere. This is primarily due to the opening of economies after prolonged lockdowns and extended restrictions on the movement of people that hampered the supply chain.

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Coal shortage in India will trigger a testing situation as coal-backed power stations account for nearly 70% of the electricity generation.

However, the minister assured us that he and his team are constantly working to salvage the situation in coordination with the other ministries and till now there have been no instances where his team could not deliver the quantity of power demanded and that there have been no load-shedding due to shortage of coal.