India seen facing wider coal shortages

Major shortage: A worker sits on a truck being loaded with coal at a railway yard on the outskirts of the western Indian city of Ahmedabad. India reconciled its coal demand projections after higher-than-expected power demand growth in April. — Reuters

NEW DELHI: India is expected to face a wider coal shortage during the quarter ending September over expectations of higher power demand, an internal power ministry presentation seen by Reuters showed, worsening risks of widespread power outages.

The energy-hungry nation expects local coal supply to fall 42.5 million tonnes short of demand in the September quarter, 15% higher than previously projected, due to higher growth in power demand and lower output from some mines.