Sufficient coal stocks to meet growing energy demand: Govt

India reached the 1 billion ton coal production level on March 20. Coal production in the 2024-25 fiscal year reached a record high of 1.048 billion tons.“This important milestone highlights India’s growing self-reliance in the energy sector and its commitment to ensuring uninterrupted fuel supply to critical industries,” the Coal Ministry said in a statement.The ministry added that increased and sustained coal production levels enable the country to effectively meet growing energy demand and keep coal-fired thermal power plant inventory levels in the power sector at record levels.Earlier this month, the government recorded coal production from commercial and owned mines at 200 tonnes.While the coal available at thermal power plants is over 53 tonnes, which is enough to meet demand for nearly 23 days at the current consumption rate, pithead coal reserves at various owned and commercial coal mines are estimated to be around 147 tonnes, excluding stocks in transportation, ports and storage. According to the Central Electricity Authority, power demand is likely to hit 265-270GW this year – with demand surging due to increased use of air conditioners and the need for more coal in the summer. Although the share of renewable energy has reached nearly 52%, coal-fired thermal power still dominates India’s power generation with an installed capacity of nearly 250 GW.