Coal scarcity hits India Nalco Sept alumina output

BHUBANESWAR, India, Oct 1 (Reuters) - India's National Aluminium Co's (NALU.BO) Damanjodi alumina refinery operated below capacity in September due to a coal shortage, but is now near normal, a senior company official said on Wednesday.

The Damanjodi refinery, in the eastern state of Orissa, normally produces about 4,500 tonnes of alumina a day, but had been down 10 to 12 percent.

"The current production level is almost 100 percent for the past five days," P.K. Mohapatra, executive director of the refinery, told Reuters, adding that coal supply had increased in recent days.

The company's aluminium smelter at Angul was also running at normal capacity, producing 970 tonnes a day, another company official said.

Aluminium output at Angul in September would have been slightly higher if the smelter had had more coal to generate power, the official said, but did not provide details.

Nalco has had a shortage of coal for several months and officials say they expect a normal supply of the fuel by the end of November.

(Reporting by Jatindra Dash; editing by Karen Foster)