India extends the requirement that imported coal-fired power facilities operate at maximum capacity.

(Reuters) According to a government circular released on Friday, India extended the deadline for imported coal-based power plants to run at full capacity till February 28.

In October, the government used an emergency provision to order corporations like Vedanta, Adani Power, and Tata Power to continue operating their imported coal-fired facilities until October 15 and then till December 31.

The cumulative yearly capacity of India’s imported coal-based power plants is close to 16 gigawatts.

In September, slower increase in energy consumption and a spike in solar generation caused India’s coal-fired power output to decline for the second consecutive month.

As previously reported by Reuters, the nation’s thermal coal imports fell 31.8% in October, the sharpest pace of decline in fifteen months.

According to government figures, India’s total coal-based electricity generation from April to September increased by 5% over the previous year.