The Ministry of Coal has pushed back against reports of coal shortages affecting power generation in Punjab, saying adequate coal supplies are available to the state’s thermal power plants. The ministry clarified that the problem lies not with coal availability but with how power plants are using the coal on offer, and with equipment breakdowns at some facilities.
What coal is available and where
Coal India Limited and its subsidiaries are supplying coal to Punjab’s power sector through multiple channels. For the two main independent power plants, Nabha Power Limited and Talwandi Sabo Power Limited, Coal India’s Central Coalfields Limited offered 5 lakh tonnes of coal on 30 March 2026, of which only 3.2 lakh tonnes has been lifted so far. Bharat Coking Coal Limited offered a further 3.5 lakh tonnes to Nabha Power, against which just 1.1 lakh tonnes has been collected.
Daily coal supply to Nabha Power has averaged 5 rakes per day since early September 2026, against its consumption of around 4.3 rakes daily. Talwandi Sabo received an average 5 rakes daily against consumption of 3.8 rakes. The state’s own power company, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited, operates three thermal plants with combined capacity of 2,300 MW and holds coal stocks at 114 per cent of required levels as of 11 September 2026.
Punjab’s captive coal mine at Pachhwara has produced 83.67 per cent of its annual target by September, but only 68.44 per cent has been dispatched, leaving around 3.21 lakh tonnes sitting unevacuated at the mine site.
What this means for you
If you are a farmer or factory owner in Punjab facing power cuts, the Ministry of Coal is saying coal shortage is not the cause. Punjab State Power Corporation’s plants operated at only 59 per cent capacity in September despite having ample coal stocks, suggesting equipment problems or other operational issues. The independent power plants are not lifting coal that Coal India has already allocated to them. The state government will need to address plant breakdowns, improve its coal evacuation, and push private power companies to collect the coal being offered to them.