Power station coal shortage eases slightly

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The number of thermal power plants with less than seven days of coal stocks fell to 53 this week, down from 56 last week, government data showed on Thursday.

However, the stock levels are still around the lowest level since mid-2012, when hundreds of millions of people were cut off in an unprecedented blackout that ranks as one of the world's largest.

India's 100 thermal power plants had enough coal overall to last six days on Sept. 9, unchanged on the week, the Central Electricity Authority said.

Twenty eight power plants have less than four days of stocks, the same as last week, the CEA data showed.

(Reporting by Tommy Wilkes; editing by Malini Menon)