Coal stocks critically low as power demand rises in India, Pg7

Key Highlights:

• On September 28, Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy stated there was no coal shortage, despite data showing 44% of India's thermal power plants had critically low stocks.
• As of September 30, 2026, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) reported 84 out of 191 thermal power plants had critical coal inventories.
• India experienced a 10% increase in power demand in 2026, the highest year-on-year rise in a decade, leading to power shortages.
• The country recorded its highest-ever power demand of 270.8 GW on May 21, 2026.
• Reliance on coal-fired thermal power plants increased due to a decline in hydro-power generation, partly linked to the El Nino phenomenon.

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Detailed Insights:

• The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) defines a power plant's stock as critical if it falls below 25% of the normative requirement or can support generation for less than three days.
• India experienced its hottest August since 1901 in 2026, with the national average mean temperature soaring to 28.01°C.
• The El Nino phenomenon, characterized by warming of the central and eastern Pacific, alters atmospheric circulation and weakens monsoon winds over the subcontinent.
• Weaker monsoons, linked to El Nino events, have reduced hydro-power generation, increasing dependence on coal.
• Coal was the primary source for 79% of India's total energy generated in 2024-25, according to the "Energy Statistics India 2026" report by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
• Rising temperatures globally and increased ownership of cooling technologies like fans and ACs are significant drivers of the surge in electricity demand.
• Despite the current pressure, later months of the year typically bring lower temperatures and eased power demand, though supply shortages may persist.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• El Nino: A climate pattern describing the unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, impacting global weather.
• Thermal Power Plants: Facilities that convert heat energy, typically from burning coal, into electrical energy.
• Gigawatt (GW): A unit of power equal to one billion watts, commonly used to measure the output of large power plants or grids.