After a worrying September, coal stocks at India's thermal power plants have stopped sliding fast. The Ministry of Coal said on Monday (October 12) that stocks at domestic coal-based power plants have held steady above 18 million tonnes (MT) since September 29, and that stronger supplies should ease the coal shortage during October 2026.
The improvement is mainly down to more coal trains. Rake loading for the power sector has risen by about 10 per cent this month, and daily supplies are now running ahead of plan.
Background: why September was a problem
Coal still produces the bulk of India's electricity, and power plants are required to hold a buffer of stock for uninterrupted generation. In September 2026, that buffer shrank sharply. According to the ministry, stocks at power plants fell by about 7.28 MT over the month – an average drop of roughly 0.24 MT every day.
A steady daily fall of that size means plants are burning more coal than they receive. Several plants were flagged as holding "critical" stocks. The ministry has pointed out that this tag is an early-warning mechanism for plants below their prescribed normative stock, and does not mean a plant has run out of coal or faces an immediate shutdown.
Key details: the October numbers
| Stock on September 29 | 18.932 MT |
| Stock on October 10 | 18.205 MT |
| September depletion | About 7.28 MT (~0.24 MT per day) |
| October 1-10 depletion | About 0.56 MT (~0.06 MT per day) |
| Days with stock gains | Oct 2 (+0.024 MT), Oct 10 (+0.017 MT) |
| Average rakes per day | 469 in Oct (vs 426 in Sept), about 10% higher |
| Daily rake range in Oct | 447 to 482 rakes |
| Actual supply to power sector | 2.49 MT/day in Oct (vs 2.21 MT/day in Sept) |
| Supply plan for Oct | 2.37 MT/day – exceeded on 9 of 10 days |
Depletion has slowed sharply
In the first ten days of October, total stocks fell by only about 0.56 MT, or about 0.06 MT a day – a quarter of September's daily rate. On two days, October 2 and October 10, stocks actually went up, by 0.024 MT and 0.017 MT respectively.
More trains, more coal
The biggest driver has been rail. Between October 1 and 10, an average of 469 rakes (full coal trains) a day were loaded for the power sector, compared with 426 a day in September. Daily loading stayed between 447 and 482 rakes. As a result, actual coal supply to power plants averaged 2.49 MT a day in October, up from 2.21 MT in September, and above the month's supply plan of 2.37 MT a day on nine of the ten days.
The ministry said supplies were also being redistributed to vulnerable stations as needed, and that plants with critically low stocks were being closely monitored.
Who is working on it
The Coal Ministry said it is coordinating with Coal India Limited (CIL), Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), the Ministry of Railways and power utilities to keep coal moving and maintain adequate stocks at thermal plants. It specifically acknowledged Indian Railways for its continued support in moving coal efficiently.
What it means for electricity consumers
For households and businesses, steady coal stocks matter because they reduce the risk of load-shedding and expensive short-term power purchases by state discoms, costs that eventually reach consumer bills. October typically brings a festive-season rise in demand, so an improving supply picture comes at a useful time.
For states such as Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, which depend heavily on coal from SCCL and CIL, the ramp-up in supply is equally relevant to keeping power plants running smoothly.
What happens next
The key question is when stocks start rising steadily again. So far, October's numbers show depletion slowing to a trickle rather than a full rebuild. If rake loading stays at current levels and supply keeps beating the plan, the ministry expects the shortage to ease through the rest of the month. Daily stock data for power plants will show whether that rebuild begins before winter demand picks up.
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