New Delhi: The Centre has rejected claims that reduced power generation at Punjab’s thermal power plants was caused by inadequate coal supply, stating that PSPCL’s plants had coal stocks at around 117% of the normative requirement as of September 4, 2026.
The Ministry of Coal said adequate coal has been made available to Punjab’s power plants and that Coal India Limited (CIL) remains committed to maintaining uninterrupted supplies for power generation in the state.
The clarification came in response to media reports attributing lower generation at Punjab’s thermal plants to insufficient coal supply from the Centre.
Key Points
- 117% coal stock: PSPCL’s three thermal power plants held coal stocks equivalent to around 117% of the normative requirement as of September 4.
- PSPCL PLF at 42%: The plants recorded an average Plant Load Factor of around 42% during August 2026.
- Nabha Power PLF at 93%: Punjab-based private power producer Nabha Power Limited recorded a PLF of around 93% during the same period.
- Captive mine coal supply enabled: The Centre facilitated coal movement from PSPCL’s Pachhwara Central Coal Mine to eligible independent power plants.
- Coal lifting remains a concern: CIL subsidiaries have offered coal to Punjab-based IPPs, but the Ministry said booking and lifting have lagged behind the quantities offered.
Centre Facilitates Coal Supply From PSPCL’s Captive Mine
The Ministry said the Centre has proactively supported Punjab’s coal supply chain since the commencement of production from PSPCL’s Pachhwara Central Coal Mine.
Coal from the captive mine has been allowed for use by independent power producers in Punjab, subject to statutory payment obligations to the state of Jharkhand.
The ministry also said IPPs not owned by PSPCL, including Nabha Power Limited in Rajpura and Talwandi Sabo Power Limited in Mansa, can utilise up to 50% of the annual production from the Pachhwara Central Coal Mine after meeting the requirements of specified end-use plants.
Low Generation Not Linked to Coal Shortage: Centre
PSPCL operates three thermal power stations — Guru Hargobind Thermal Power Station at Lehra Mohabbat, Goindwal Sahib Thermal Power Plant and Ropar Thermal Power Station — with a combined capacity of 2,300 MW.
According to the Ministry of Coal, the plants had coal stock at about 117% of the normative requirement on September 4.
Despite this stock position, their average PLF during August stood at only around 42%. The Centre said the low generation during the month therefore could not be attributed to inadequate coal availability at the plant end.
August Power Generation Snapshot
- PSPCL’s three thermal plants: Recorded an average PLF of around 42%.
- Nabha Power Limited: Recorded a PLF of around 93%.
The Ministry cited Nabha Power’s performance as an indication that coal availability was not a constraint on power generation in Punjab. The plant recorded a PLF of around 93% in August, supported by coal supplies from CIL sources.
CIL Coal Offered, But Lifting Has Lagged
The Ministry also highlighted the quantities of coal offered by CIL subsidiaries to Punjab-based IPPs under the RCR mode.
Coal Supply Position
- CCL: Offered 5 lakh tonnes of coal to Nabha Power Limited and Talwandi Sabo Power Limited on March 30, 2026. Around 4.1 lakh tonnes had been booked and approximately 3.1 lakh tonnes lifted.
- BCCL: Offered 3.5 lakh tonnes to Nabha Power Limited. Of this, around 1.3 lakh tonnes had been booked and about 0.98 lakh tonnes lifted.
The Ministry said timely lifting of coal already offered by CIL, along with better generation performance from PSPCL’s own plants, would be important for optimising power generation in Punjab.
Centre Reiterates Commitment to Punjab’s Power Sector
The Ministry of Coal said the Central Government has already taken steps to facilitate coal movement from PSPCL’s captive mine to eligible IPPs in Punjab.
It added that CIL will continue to support uninterrupted coal supplies for power generation, while higher utilisation of PSPCL’s existing generating capacity and timely lifting of allocated coal could help meet the state’s power requirements.
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