Archive · 5 Oct 2026
India's Coal Stocks Fall 66% as Coal Remains Power Backbone
India's coal supply stored for power plants fell a lot between April and September 2026.
It went from 54.9 million tonnes to 18.6 million tonnes.
That was the biggest drop in four years.
Coal is still the main fuel used to make electricity in India.
Coal power generation increased between FY15 and FY26.
Solar and wind power also grew during that time.
Hydropower changed less than those sources.
The figures show that India is using a wider mix of energy, but still relies heavily on coal.
So coal stock levels can matter a lot for the country's electricity supply.
India's coal stocks fell from 54.9 million tonnes in early April 2026 to 18.6 million tonnes at September's end, a 66.1% drop.
The April-to-September decline was the steepest in four years, compared with 22.8% in 2025, 31.8% in 2024 and 36.8% in 2023.
Coal-fired power generation rose from about 835 billion units in FY15 to 1,281 billion units in FY26, an increase of more than 53%.
Solar generation grew from 4.6 billion units in FY15 to 174.8 billion units in FY26; wind rose from 33.8 billion to 106.7 billion units.
Hydropower increased from 129.2 billion units in FY15 to 167.2 billion units in FY26, while coal remained India's largest electricity source.
- Who
- India's power sector and coal stocks reported by the National Power Portal.
- What
- Coal stocks fell 66.1%, while coal remained India's largest source of electricity generation.
- When
- Coal-stock figures compare early April 2026 with the end of September 2026; generation figures compare FY15 and FY26.
- Where
- India.
- Why
- The article links the importance of coal inventories to coal's continuing role as the backbone of electricity generation.
- Coal stocks, early April 2026
- 54.9 million tonnes
- Coal stocks, end of September 2026
- 18.6 million tonnes
- Coal-stock decline
- 66.1%, the steepest decline in four years
- April–September stock declines
- 22.8% in 2025; 31.8% in 2024; 36.8% in 2023
- Coal generation
- About 835 billion units in FY15; 1,281 billion units in FY26
- Solar generation
- 4.6 billion units in FY15; 174.8 billion units in FY26
- Wind and hydropower generation in FY26
- Wind: 106.7 billion units; hydropower: 167.2 billion units