Coal Supply

Coal stocks at 98 power plants are sufficient for just 6.3 days of operations, raising concerns over supply reliability as electricity demand surges and inventories remain low

Industry body INMA flags irregular coal dispatches, rising production costs and supply disruptions, urging implementation of the 75:25 coal allocation ratio for power and non-power sectors

India had planned last year ‌to add 97 GW of coal power capacity to reach 307 GW by 2035 and currently has about 230 GW of capacity

Coal inventories at power plants have stabilised as rake loading and supplies improve, but stocks remain under pressure, with 87 plants reporting critically low levels

CIL says it supplied 97 million tonnes of coal to NTPC and its joint ventures in H1FY27, exceeding contractual commitments despite critically low stocks at several power plants

Coal Ministry on Friday said the daily supplies of coal to the power sector have increased by around 36 per cent from the September low. The rate of stock depletion has also moderated significantly, while rake position has strengthened, the ministry said. "Stock depletion has slowed sharply, with the daily drawdown falling by more than half from 0.243 MT per day in September to 0.116 MT per day in October. The position is therefore stabilising, although stock rebuilding is yet to commence," the ministry said in a statement. Rail loading has strengthened correspondingly, averaging over 465 rakes per day in October, with the 470-rake target achieved on three consecutive days, the Ministry said in a statement. Supplies through other modes, including road, have also improved. The ministry further said that "some recent media reports flag growing risk of Power shortages in India as coal inventories at power plants fall to low levels" and, in this context, it clarifies that the "critica

Power-sector coal despatches rose 10.6 per cent year-on-year in September, while daily supplies remained robust in early October as CIL drew down pithead inventories

Supplies to the power sector rose 10.63 per cent to 48.9 million tonnes in September, while coal production increased 9.18 per cent to 53.5 million tonnes, CIL said

Thermal power plants had 21.8 million tonnes of coal stocks, around 37 per cent of the normative requirement, as the number of plants with critical stocks rose to 82

The government has mandated companies with captive coal generation capacity of more than 50 megawatts to run the plants at full throttle and sell surplus electricity through exchanges

Union Minister G Kishan Reddy on Monday said there was no shortage of coal in the country despite higher thermal power demand, monsoon-related disruptions in mining and lower hydropower generation. "There is no shortage of coal. We are supplying by rakes and road," Reddy said when asked about reports of alleged coal shortage at power plants. The Union Coal and Mines minister was speaking on the sidelines of the Assocham-organised Angul Aluminium Roadshow here. He said thermal power demand had increased by around 12-15 per cent as hydropower generation declined, while monsoon conditions had also affected coal mining operations. Reddy said the temporary disruptions should not be construed as a coal shortage and asserted that the overall situation was normal. "The situation is normal. There is no tension," he said.

Rake loading to the power sector increased from 370 on September 3 to 444 on September 6, while corrective supply measures were put in place for plants with critical stocks

Coal India raised August supplies by 5.5 per cent despite a 5.7 per cent production decline, as the miner continued to draw down accumulated pithead inventories

India's coal stocks for the power sector can support around 62 days of consumption as production and dispatch rise amid strong supply growth

India's ₹37,500 crore coal gasification scheme aims to cut import dependence, boost industrial growth and strengthen energy security by turning domestic coal into strategic fuel and chemicals

BCCL has introduced a scheme offering up to 10% cash discount to power plants for higher coal offtake in Q1 FY27 to boost lifting and support stable power generation

Coal India steps up supply measures with increased e-auctions and robust stock levels to ensure uninterrupted coal availability amid disruptions from West Asia crisis

SECL, the second largest coal producing arm of Coal India Ltd, on Monday said it is prepared to meet the country's coal demand, including the power sector's requirement, amid the evolving global energy dynamics. The ongoing war in West Asia has disrupted global energy routes like the Strait of Hormuz, raising the costs of imported coal and LNG, which indirectly pressure India's coal and power sectors. South Eastern Coalfields Ltd (SECL) Chairman and Managing Director Harish Duhan told PTI that the company continues to maintain strong operational momentum. During the current financial year, the company has achieved around 165 million tonnes of coal production and over 169 million tonnes of coal dispatch up to mid-March, ensuring a steady supply to power plants and other consumers. The company supplies coal to major power generators like NTPC, Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd (RVUNL) and Madhya Pradesh Power Generating Company Limited (MPPGCL). The company is currently ...

India's coal imports, which jumped 28.1 per cent in November, is expected is see a decline in the coming months on account of increased availability of domestic resources, according to industry data. Imports in November rose to 25.07 million tonnes (MT) as against 19.57 MT imported in November 2024, according to data compiled by mjunction services ltd, a B2B e-commerce platform and joint venture of SAIL and Tata Steel. "There was an uptick in volumes in November mainly due to winter restocking by steel mills. Also, some buyers took fresh positions as seaborne prices remained weak. In coming months, however, we expect to see a drop in imports due to increased domestic availability," mjunction MD & CEO Vinaya Varma said. Of the total imports in November 2025, non-coking coal import stood at 14.28 MT, higher than 12.32 MT imported in November last fiscal year. Coking coal import stood at 6.51 MT, compared to 4.25 MT recorded for the same month last financial year. Coal import in the

Coal production and dispatches from captive and commercial mines rose in December and Q3 FY26, reflecting their rising contribution to India's domestic coal supply