Nearly 40% of India’s coal‑fired power plants are operating with critically low fuel stocks, according to data released by the Central Electricity Authority on Monday, September 21, 2026. The shortage follows a surge in power demand driven by hotter‑than‑usual weather linked to the El Niño phenomenon.
The authority’s daily updates show that 74 plants now have coal inventories below 25% of what is required or can generate electricity for fewer than three days, a sharp rise from about 60 plants the previous week. Peak power demand has hovered between 230 and 250 gigawatts over the past week, after reaching an all‑time high of 270.70 gigawatts in May.
Analysts from Crisil say the decline in fuel stocks is a temporary logistical problem rather than a sign of structural supply constraints. The Union Coal and Railway ministries announced in early September that they were boosting supplies to the plants after erratic monsoon rains disrupted shipments.
Renewable generation increased by about 21% between April and August, but its intermittent nature means coal‑fired power still plays a critical role in meeting continuous demand, Crisil added. In August, Indian power producers imported coal at a 15‑month high, as a heatwave lifted electricity demand and hydroelectric output remained low, prompting utilities to rely on costly overseas supplies, Reuters reported.
