Daily coal supplies to India’s power sector have risen 36 percent from their post-monsoon lows in September, the government said on Friday, 9 October 2026, according to The Hindu.
Quick Facts
| Rise from September lows | 36 percent |
| October average vs September | About 9 percent higher |
| Rail loading in October | 465 rakes a day on average |
| Stock depletion | 0.116 million tonnes a day, down from 0.243 in September |
What the Ministry Said
The Coal Ministry said rail loading of 465 to 475 rakes a day should be enough to meet power demand, which it expects to ease by mid-October, as it usually does.
That, it said, should allow stocks to be rebuilt before the festive season, winter and the following summer, and reduce the number of plants classed as critical.
“The position is therefore stabilising, although stock rebuilding is yet to commence,” the ministry said.
Extra Coal by Road
Last month, state-owned Coal India and its subsidiaries offered power plants with supply agreements the option to take additional coal by road, beyond their contracted quantities.
Why the Statement Was Issued
The ministry was responding to reports raising concern about low coal inventories at power plants.
Stocks are still falling, but at less than half the pace of September.
Source: The Hindu (9 October 2026).
Featured image: The coal handling plant at Dudhichua mine, Singrauli, in 2020 (file photo). Photo by Kuber Patel, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.