Coal stocks at India’s thermal power plants have dropped to just 68% of the normative requirement as the country battles an intense heatwave that has pushed electricity demand to an all-time high of 270.82 GW, raising pressure on fuel supplies ahead of the peak summer season.
Data from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) showed coal inventories at domestic and imported coal-based thermal plants stood at 51.23 million tonnes as of May 20, down 10.7% from 57.39 million tonnes recorded during the same period last year and significantly below the normative requirement of around 75.2 million tonnes.
The sharp fall in inventories comes amid an unprecedented demand surge, with India recording four consecutive days of record daytime peak power demand. According to the Power Ministry, demand rose from 257.37 GW on May 18 to 260.45 GW on May 19, 265.44 GW on May 20 and a fresh all-time high of 270.82 GW on May 21, nearly touching the government’s projected annual peak of 271 GW.
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On May 21, the power ministry said it had “successfully met” the “fourth consecutive day when the peak power demand… reached a new all-time high”, supplying 270.82 gigawatts (GW).
Strained Power Grids
But it also warned that the grid was being stretched.
“Although we are prepared to supply electricity as required, due to the intense summer, let us all try to use electricity wisely and judiciously,” it said in a statement. It had earlier noted that the “surge in demand appears to be linked to the greater usage of cooling appliances”.
Thermal power accounted for 62 percent of generation on May 21, with solar making up 22 percent, wind and hydropower taking up five percent each and the rest coming from other sources.
The rising demand has sharply increased coal consumption at thermal power plants, which are currently burning nearly 3.096 million tonnes of coal every day to sustain electricity generation during extreme summer conditions.
Of the 189 thermal power plants with a combined generation capacity of 222.7 GW, 21 plants were operating under critical coal stock levels as of May 20, including 11 domestic coal-based stations. A power plant is categorised as critical when coal inventories fall below 25% of the normative requirement. During the same period last year, 23 plants had critical stock levels.
Domestic coal-based thermal plants, including pithead and non-pithead stations with a total installed capacity of 203.9 GW, held coal inventories of 48.66 million tonnes, equivalent to only 69% of the normative stock requirement of 70.19 million tonne.
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Coal Under Disproportionate Stress
Imported coal-based plants were under even sharper stress. The 17 imported coal-based non-pithead stations with a combined capacity of 18.7 GW held coal stocks of only 2.6 million tonnes against the required 5 million tonnes, translating into just 51% of the normative level.
Sources said imported coal-based plants currently require nearly 1.96 lakh tonnes of coal every day amid elevated generation requirements and tight inventory conditions.
The mounting fuel pressure comes as the government scales up domestic coal production to reduce import dependence and secure supplies for the power sector. India has set a coal production target of 1.31 billion tonnes for FY27.
According to estimates, thermal power plants may consume up to 850 million tonnes of coal in FY27, up from around 808 million tonnes in FY26. The Power Ministry has projected coal demand of 906 million tonnes for FY27 and sought corresponding supplies from the Coal Ministry.
Coal ministry data showed thermal power plants consumed 852.5 million tonnes of coal during FY26, including 808.8 million tonnes of domestic coal supplies and 45.4 million tonnes of imports.
India’s peak power demand had touched 243 GW in June 2025, while the previous annual high stood at 250 GW in May 2024, highlighting the sharp acceleration in electricity consumption amid rising temperatures and cooling demand.
TOPICScoal blocksThis article was first uploaded on May twenty-two, twenty twenty-six, at fifty-one minutes past six in the evening.