SHANGHAI, Oct 19 (SMM) - Analysis of data released by the Indian government shows that India's electricity demand rose by 4.9% in the first half of October, with local power supply remaining tight despite a 3.2% increase in coal-fired generation and a 30% increase in solar power generation

The post-epidemic economic recovery has pushed up the demand for electricity in India, while coal shortages have led to power supply shortages, forcing power cuts of up to 14 hours a day in northern Indian states this month.

According to data from POSOCO, an institute regulated by the Federal Grid of India, the coal's share of India's electricity generation jumped to almost 70% in the first 15 days of October, compared to an average of 66.5% throughou September.

Nearly three-fifths of India's coal-fired power plants now have coal stocks that could last three days or less, according to data from the Union Ministry of Power. Coal stocks at power plants across India last on average only four days, down two-thirds from an average of 12 days two months ago.

India is the world's second largest producer of coal and has the world's fourth largest coal reserves, but a huge spike in electricity demand, which is even above pre-epidemic levels, means that India's domestic supply has been struggling to meet its own demand.

According to the Russian Energy Ministry recently, 40 million mt of coking coal will be exported to India each year, compared to the current 8 million mt of Russian coal supplies to India.