October 25, 2026 - In India, coal stocks at power plants continue to worsen, with the latest data showing 98 plants with critical stocks sufficient to sustain only six days of operations, even as the government has ramped up supplies to power plants.

This, coupled with the ongoing record-high power demand, has led experts to caution that the coal sector's ability to meet a sharp surge in electricity requirements could become questionable.

“The immediate challenge is to ensure that coal supplies keep pace with the sharp rise in electricity demand. While increased dispatches are encouraging, persistently low inventories at several power plants leave limited operational buffers and constrain planned maintenance," said Vikas Gaba, partner and national head – power & utilities at KPMG India.