India's thermal plants face 13-day coal supply as demand rises
India's thermal power plants are in a tight spot, with coal supplies dropping fast just as electricity demand nears record highs.
As of July 20, there's only enough coal left for about 13 days, way down from May's reserves.
The monsoon has made it tougher to move and produce coal, so keeping the lights on is getting tricky.
Renewables fall, 20% thermal offline
Power demand neared an all-time high of 270 GW last week, and shortages have gotten much more serious, especially in states like Punjab, Haryana, and Goa.
On top of that, weak monsoons (thanks to El Nino) have cut down hydro and wind power, while technical issues have knocked out one-fifth of the country's thermal capacity.
There is some hope, though: more rain is expected soon in parts of India, which could help boost hydropower and ease the crunch a bit.