Centre orders captive coal power plants to maximise power output on surging demand

The centre has ​ordered more than 100 captive coal-fired power plants to ‌operate at maximum capacity from October 1 through ​year-end to meet what it ⁠expects will be a rise in electricity demand.

The Ministry of Power’s order, invoked under emergency provisions of ‌the Electricity Act, applies to plants with installed capacity of at least 50 ‌megawatts.

The aim is to meet ‌an “expected ⁠rise in electricity demand in the coming ⁠months,” showed the order dated September 25 and seen by Reuters .

Nearly 40% of coal-fired plants are operating ​with critically low fuel ‌stock due to a surge in power demand as the El Niño climate phenomenon raises temperatures more than usual.

The plants ‌primarily serve industrial facilities such as aluminium smelters, ​steel manufacturers, cement factories and oil refineries.

The Power Ministry has directed ⁠generators to sell surplus electricity through power exchanges.