India produces 2.6% more coal in May at 86 million tonnes, shows data

India produced 86.2 million tonnes (MT) of coal in May, marking a 2.6 per cent increase compared to the same month last year.

 

The growth in both production and dispatch ensures a steady coal supply to key industries such as power, steel, and cement, the Ministry of Coal said in a statement.

 

Higher coal production is particularly important during the summer months, when electricity demand rises significantly due to higher temperatures and increased use of cooling systems. India, which relies heavily on coal for power generation, typically sees demand surge during this period.

 

This year, India is expected to face peak power demand of around 277 gigawatts (GW) during the summer, particularly in May and June—a significant increase from the 250 GW recorded last year. 

 

However, heatwaves have been largely absent in some parts of the country, especially in Delhi, which last year saw temperatures nearing 50 degrees Celsius and peak power demand.

 

Power consumption in May dipped over 4 per cent to 148.71 billion units compared to the same month a year ago, owing to the early arrival of the monsoon and unseasonal rains.

 

To ensure sufficient supply, a coal stock of 50 MT has been built up at thermal power plants (TPPs), and projected coal demand for FY26 is 906 MT, Minister of Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy said in February.

 

As of May 31, coal companies had a stock of 122.7 MT, compared to 94.98 MT during the same period last year.

 

India produced 1.04 billion tonnes of coal in FY25, up from 953.3 MT a year ago.