Coal ministry clarifies that adequate coal has been made available as Coal India remains fully committed to ensuring uninterrupted coal supply for power generation across the country
Coal stocks at thermal power plants (TPPs) have fallen nearly 29 per cent in just over a month, from 38 million tonnes (mt) at the end-July to 27.14 mt on September 4, as supply disruptions coincide with sustained power demand.
The number of plants with critical coal stocks has also risen from 51 to 57 in just five days, indicating that roughly one-third of the cumulative operating coal-based capacity of roughly 224 gigawatts (GW) is now carrying critical supplies
According to the latest Coal and Power Ministry data, the number of plants with critical stocks rose to 57 on September 4, up from 51 on August 31. At the end of July 2026, TPPs had 38 mt of coal stocks, which declined to 29.12 mt at the end of August and further to 27.14 mt on September 4.
Decline reason A major reason for the decline in stocks at the TPP end is that historically, supplies get stretched during monsoon, as rains hinder mining activity and transport.
Besides, the coal bearing states of Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh witnessed heavy to very heavy rains during August, further impacting transport. For September as well, the weatherman expects heavy rains, which are expected to start moderating by mid-month.
Another reason is that TPPs are burning more coal due to high power demand since April, which has stretched into August as high heat and humidity is pushing up cooling demand.
For instance, energy consumption in July stood at around 171 billion units (BU)
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