Half of India’s Coal-Fired Power Plants Face Low Stocks

As of 19 October 2026, 96 of India’s 191 coal-fired power plants had critically low coal stocks, defined as less than three days of fuel supply. The number of plants in this category rose from 60 in mid-September 2026.

Coal Stock Levels

Coal stocks at power stations declined by approximately 5% from the beginning of October 2026. Separately, inventories had fallen by 45.1% since the start of August as of 10 October, leaving stocks for 7.7 days of operations at that day’s coal burn rate. These figures refer to different dates and measures: the first counts plants with fewer than three days of fuel, while the second gives the average operational cover reported for the earlier date. India’s daily peak electricity demand in 2026 was about 45–50 gigawatts higher than in 2025. In September 2026, the electricity deficit reached its highest level for that month in nearly a decade.

Weather and Power Demand

Hotter-than-usual weather associated with the El Niño phenomenon contributed to higher electricity demand. El Niño is a climate pattern involving the periodic warming of surface waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. A weaker monsoon reduced hydropower generation, adding pressure to electricity supply. Hydropower stations generate electricity from moving or falling water, while coal-fired power plants use coal to produce steam that drives turbines.

Fuel Supply Measures

The government shelved a proposal requiring power plants to import coal amid elevated international prices and a weaker rupee, which raised the cost of overseas shipments. Instead, policymakers asked Coal India Ltd, a state-owned coal producer, to increase production and the railways to transport coal to power stations on time.

Important Facts for Exams

• India had 191 coal-fired power plants in the figures reported for October 2026.
• Coal India Ltd is a state-owned coal producer.
• El Niño involves periodic warming of surface waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.
• A gigawatt is a unit of power equal to one billion watts.

Power and Energy Units

Peak electricity demand is expressed as power, measured in watts or multiples such as gigawatts. A gigawatt measures the rate of energy use or generation, whereas a kilowatt-hour measures energy consumed over time.</final