New Delhi, October 8, 2026: State-owned Coal India Limited (CIL) increased its coal supplies to the power sector by 11.01% year-on-year to 148.20 million tonnes (MT) during the second quarter of FY2026-27, up from 133.50 MT in the corresponding period last year. The increase comes amid stronger electricity demand and preparations for higher consumption during the festive season.
The higher dispatches have helped strengthen coal availability for thermal power plants while also allowing CIL to reduce accumulated pithead inventories. During the first six months of FY2026-27, the company liquidated around 63 MT of pithead coal stocks, while approximately 67 MT remained available at its mines.
Overall Coal Supplies Gain Momentum
Coal India’s total coal offtake during Q2 rose 12.05% to 186.04 MT, compared with 166.04 MT in the year-ago quarter. In September alone, total coal supplies increased 12.5% to 61.20 MT, compared with 54.40 MT a year earlier.
Power-sector supplies in September rose 10.63% to 48.90 MT, from 44.20 MT in September 2025. Supplies to the non-regulated sector also recorded strong growth of 19.41%.
Coal production increased 9.18% to 53.50 MT in September, while Q2 production grew 3.81% to 151.37 MT. With the monsoon season ending, CIL expects both production and supplies to improve further.
Focus on Energy Security
CIL accounts for more than 80% of India’s domestic coal output and remains a key supplier to the country’s thermal power sector. During the first half of FY2026-27, power-sector coal dispatches reached 302.8 MT, up from 285.4 MT a year earlier.
The company has been assigned a production target of 815 MT and a supply target of 850 MT for FY2026-27. The latest figures indicate that higher dispatches and improved inventory utilisation are supporting the country’s energy-security requirements as electricity demand remains elevated.