Indian Thermal Coal Imports Set to Rise

Mining Weekly reported that Indian thermal coal imports are expected to see a tick upwards in coming months. Projections have been set at 200 million tons of imports for the year, but that could increase by 15 to 20 percent with a lack of rain during the monsoon season, according to the news outlet.

As quoted in the publication:

Any tardy progress of the monsoon rains carried the risk of lower hydro-electricity generation and would put pressure on thermal power generation. At the same time, scanty rainfall would trigger a rise in demand for irrigation, which would increase electricity demand.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the monsoon officially arrived in the subcontinent on June 5 and so far, progress across the peninsula region of the country had been “sluggish”. In its updated monsoon forecast earlier this month, the IMD revised its estimate cumulative rainfall during the season to 88% of the long-term average, down from 93% predicted before the onset of the rainy season.

Click here to read the full Mining Weekly article.