Representational file image.
| Photo Credit: S. Siva Saravanan
Loading of coal rakes for supply to the power sector has grown about 20% between September 3 and September 6, the Union Coal Ministry said on Monday (September 7, 2026), adding separately that it was also closely monitoring thermal plants with stocks below 25% of their normal requirements with measures being taken to ease their supply position.According to data from the Central Electricity Authority, 53 domestic coal-fired plants were operating at the critical normative level as on September 5.“The number of critical thermal plants [stock below 25% of normative requirement] are being closely monitored, with corrective coal supply measures already in place to further ease the position at these plants,” it stated.On the increased rake loading, the Ministry stated that coal loading to the power sector has increased from 370 rakes in a day on September 3, to 387 rakes the day after, 413 rakes September 5 and 444 rakes on Sunday (September 6, 2026).Further, the government informed that state-owned Coal India’s daily coal production has accelerated about 35% to about 1.83 million tonnes on September 6 – compared to the first three days of the month. “The improvement comes as mining conditions steadily recover and affected transportation routes and working areas are restored,” the ministry observed. It added that average daily despatch to the power sector has also increased 24% to 1.7 MT during the same period. Published - September 07, 2026 03:24 pm IST
