India says coal power plants have adequate stocks despite rising demand

NEW DELHI: India’s coal-fired power plants have sufficient coal stocks to run for about two weeks at higher operating rates, easing concerns about fuel shortages amid rising electricity demand and below-average monsoon rainfall.

Coal stocks at power plants stood at 42.8 million tonnes as of July 12, enough for 14 days of operation at an 85% plant load factor, the power ministry said in a reply to parliament on Monday.

Utilities are also getting sufficient coal supplies to meet their daily requirements, it added.

India’s peak power demand surged last week to nearly 270.1 gigawatts (GW), driven by higher cooling demand as an El Nino pattern contributed to weaker rainfall.

India’s peak power demand had reached 270.2 GW in May, and the government expects it to touch 280 GW this year due to the absence of stronger monsoon rains.

Coal remains the backbone of India’s power system despite the country’s aggressive renewable energy expansion.

India coal-fired power output in June rises to highest since November 2023

Coal and lignite-fired plants accounted for 69.5% of electricity supplied during April-June and generated about 75% of power during non-solar peak-demand hours, according to the ministry.

The government has intensified coordination among the coal, power and railway ministries to monitor supplies and prioritize coal transportation to power stations, the power ministry said.

India added 9.47 GW of coal-fired generation capacity in 2025-26 and a further 2.26 GW between April and July, helping support record electricity demand, the government said.