Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy said coal availability in the country had normalised, with the government increasing supplies to coal-fired power plants through additional railway rakes. He attributed recent pressure on fuel stocks to a 12 to 15 per cent rise in power demand, lower hydropower generation and rainfall-related disruption to coal production.

Reddy said production conditions had returned to normal and that supplies were being expanded to prevent further stress at thermal power stations. He was speaking to mediapersons in Kolkata on the sidelines of a roadshow aimed at attracting investment to the Angul Aluminium Park in Odisha.

Coal inventories at several power plants had come under pressure during a period of elevated electricity consumption and hotter-than-usual weather linked to El Niño. Nearly 40 per cent of the country's coal-fired power plants were operating with critically low fuel stocks last week, according to the report.

Data from the Central Electricity Authority, updated daily, showed that the number of plants with coal stocks below 25 per cent of required inventory, or sufficient fuel for fewer than three days of generation, rose to 74 on September 19 from about 60 in the previous week. India's peak power demand had remained between 230 GW and 250 GW during the preceding week.

Reddy also said the Centre would discuss opportunities for West Bengal in the coal and mining sectors and examine ways for the Central and State governments to strengthen the industry. The discussions would focus on employment generation and new initiatives. The roadshow, organised by National Aluminium Company (NALCO) with Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation, showcased investment opportunities in downstream and value-added aluminium manufacturing. Mines Secretary Keshav Chandra called for the sector to move beyond primary production by increasing technology adoption, innovation, domestic research and development, and the manufacture of high-value finished products.