Electricity supply shortage of 82 million units (MU) was recorded on October 12 across the country, a marginal improvement from the deficiency of 86.9 MU a day ago. Highest power supply shortages were recorded in Rajasthan (17.9 MU), Punjab (15.3 MU), Gujarat (12.5 MU), Haryana (8.3 MU) and Bihar (7.8 MU).

“India’s power supply fell about 750 MU 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,” Reuters reported citing data from the national grid management agency. “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,” the agency added.

“While we are counting coal stocks in days, several states are stating imminent crisis and exchange prices are going up… (however) the situation should be manageable and there should not be any widespread (power outages),” Somesh Kumar, EY India power and utilities leader, said.The government on Wednesday claimed that coal supplies were improving, even as fuel stocks with thermal power stations were still hovering around abysmally low levels and hitting electricity supplies in many parts of the country. Coal stocks at power plants on Wednesday were about 7.3 million tonne (MT), enough to meet just 4 days’ requirement.

Coal supplies to power units on Tuesday stood at 2 million tonne (MT), which were slightly above the daily average consumption of 1.9 MT/day, Union coal minister Pralhad Joshi said.