India to import more coal Oct-Dec 2026 as hydropower falls
India
India is set to bring in more coal between October and December 2026, thanks to El Nino causing weaker rains and less hydropower.
With electricity demand spiking, especially during peak hours, thermal power plants are burning through more coal than usual.
Even though local coal production is up, it's still not enough, so imports are filling the gap.
India August coal imports jump 28%
Coal imports jumped 28% in August 2026 compared with last year, hitting 4.48 million tons.
At the same time, coal-powered electricity shot up nearly 14%, putting extra pressure on supplies.
Experts warn that if this keeps up, power plant stockpiles could fall to half of last year's levels, making those extra imports even more important right now.