Coal consumption has increased due to soaring natural gas prices in Europe and Asia and increasing power demand due to a resumption in economic activity after the coronavirus lockdowns
India Is Reopening Coal Mines and Restarting Idle Coal Plants
Due mainly to a devastating heat wave that hit India, the world's third-largest greenhouse gas emitter is planning to reopen more than 100 coal mines previously considered financially unsustainable. India's power minister asked states to continue importing coal for the next three years and has evoked an emergency law to restart generation at some idle power plants using imported coal. Over 43 percent of the plants fired by imported coal, which have a total capacity of 17.6 gigawatts and account for 8.6 percent of India's total coal power capacity, had been idled. Power ministry officials are working with those involved in debt restructuring of financially stressed idle plants to make them functional, and a government committee will facilitate passing on higher costs of generation to customers.
