Coal Supply Stabilizes Power Plants with Over 18 Million Tons in Stock

New Delhi, October 12 (Daily Kiran) : The Ministry of Coal announced that coal reserves in the country’s coal-based power plants have remained above 18 million tons since September 29, 2026. This stability is attributed to a robust coal supply throughout October, which has significantly slowed the rate of stock depletion.

As of October 10, 2026, the coal stock measured 18.205 million tons, down from 18.932 million tons on September 29. This indicates that the coal supply has kept pace with daily consumption at power plants.

The ministry is closely monitoring plants with coal stocks at sensitive levels. To ensure uninterrupted power generation, coal is being redistributed among various plants as needed.

Notably, there were two days in October when coal reserves actually increased: by 0.024 million tons on October 2 and by 0.017 million tons on October 10.

According to government data, the rate of stock reduction in October has significantly decreased compared to September. Throughout September 2026, coal reserves dropped by approximately 7.28 million tons, averaging a decrease of 0.24 million tons per day. In contrast, the first ten days of October saw a total reduction of only 0.56 million tons, averaging just 0.06 million tons per day.

This improvement is largely due to increased coal transportation. From October 1 to 10, 2026, an average of 469 rakes per day were loaded for the power sector, a 10% increase from September’s average of 426 rakes per day. Daily rake loading in October fluctuated between 447 and 482 rakes.

Consequently, the actual coal supply to the power sector rose to 2.49 million tons per day, compared to 2.21 million tons per day in September. The ministry noted that for most days in October, the actual supply exceeded planned targets, with coal deliveries surpassing expectations on nine out of ten days.

The Ministry of Coal continues to collaborate with Coal India Limited (CIL), SCCL, the Ministry of Railways, and power sector companies to ensure smooth coal transportation and adequate stock levels in thermal power plants. The ministry also praised the efforts and professional commitment of Indian Railways in facilitating coal transport.