• Coal-fired power generation rose about 14% year-on-year to 120.20 billion kWh in June Published July 3, 2026 Updated about 12 hours ago By Reuters NEW DELHI: India’s coal-fired power generation surged to a near-three-year high in June because of increased cooling demand from higher temperatures from an extended heatwave and below-average monsoon rainfall, government data showed. India’s total electricity generation in June rose 10.4% from a year ago to 178.31 billion kilowatt-hours, according to Reuters calculations of daily data from federal grid regulator Grid-India. Coal-fired power generation rose about 14% year-on-year to 120.20 billion kWh in June, the highest since November 2023, the data showed. Last month, India logged its fifth-driest June since 1901 due to a strong El Nino pattern, with searing heat driving demand for cooling, according to weather office data. The El Nino is a weather phenomenon caused by a warming of the Pacific Ocean waters off South America that tends to cause hot, dry weather in South and Southeast Asia. The demand for coal power has surged in the past two months to meet evening air-conditioning demand as a lack of battery storage for solar generation limits solar power usage at…