Coal supply to Punjab power plants sufficient, state urged to lift more from captive mines
The Coal Ministry has affirmed that adequate coal is available to Punjab's power plants, countering media reports of a deepening power crisis marked by 14-hour cuts affecting factories and farms. Coal India Limited (CIL) remains fully committed to ensuring uninterrupted fuel supply for power generation across the country, including in Punjab.
The ministry stated that against Nabha Power Limited's average consumption of around 4.3 rakes per day over the last three days, rake supply has averaged about 5 rakes per day. Similarly, for Talwandi Sabo Power Limited, with a consumption of around 3.8 rakes per day, supply has averaged around 5 rakes per day.
Through September 2026 so far, average supply has been approximately 4.9 rakes per day for Nabha Power Limited and 4.1 rakes per day for Talwandi Sabo Power Limited, both exceeding the respective plants' average consumption.
The Central Government has facilitated coal movement to independent power producers in Punjab since the commencement of captive mine production by Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL). Higher utilisation of PSPCL's own plants, monitoring breakdowns at IPPs, and timely lifting of coal already offered by CIL subsidiaries would help optimise power generation and address the state's requirements.
However, the ministry highlighted that Punjab needs to improve offtake from PSPCL's captive mines. At the Pachhwara Central mine, production from April 2026 to September 11, 2026, stands at 83.67 per cent of the annual target, while despatch is only 68.44 per cent of the target. This gap has led to a build-up of unevacuated stock of around 3.21 lakh tonnes at the mine, which the state should evacuate to generate more power at PSPCL's own plants.
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