India is projecting its biggest power shortfall in 14 years in June after a slump in hydropower generationIndia is projecting its biggest power shortfall in 14 years in June after a slump in hydropower generation, its government told Reuters, and is racing to avoid outages by deferring planned plant maintenance and re-opening idled units. The figures on power demand and capacity projections have not been previously reported. The power ministry last month invoked emergency rights for the first time to direct gas-based and imported coal-based power plants to operate at full capacity. Plans to set up new coal power plants in the country, which is under pressure from rich economies to stop coal use, gathered momentum last year, but they will take a minimum of four years to start generation. Existing coal-fired power plants and solar plants will help the nation meet its electricity demand during daytime hours, one of the government sources said.
