{
  "id": 9763047,
  "title": "India Weighs Mandatory Imported Coal Blending as Plant Stocks Crumble",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/india-weighs-mandatory-imported-coal-blending-as-plant-stocks-crumble",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-25T12:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "OilPrice",
    "slug": "oilprice",
    "url": "https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/India-Weighs-Mandatory-Imported-Coal-Blending-as-Plant-Stocks-Crumble.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "India is considering a law that would require power plants to mix imported coal with coal sourced domestically, as stocks of coal at many facilities have dwindled due to logistical challenges in recent months, according to sources familiar with the matter. The proposal, if enacted, would mark the first time such a mandate has been introduced since 2024. The proposed blend could reach up to 5% imported coal, a move aimed at bolstering domestic coal production and minimizing reliance on imports, a policy that has been in place for the past two years. However, soaring power demand and logistical issues have led to depleted coal reserves at numerous thermal power plants, with the percentage of plants operating with critically low coal stocks jumping to nearly 40% as of the weekend of September 19-20. As of that period, 74 coal-fired power plants had less than three days' worth of coal reserves. Despite these low stock levels, India has not yet experienced any critical supply shortages, as domestic transportation disruptions have further depleted inventories in several states. Many coal-fired power plants have fallen below the critical 25% coal reserve threshold due to increased electricity demand, exacerbated by the strong El Niño, but supply challenges have been compounded by monsoon rains. India's coal demand is expected to rise by 4.2% to 1.353 billion tons this year, according to the International Energy Agency's Coal Mid-Year Update 2026, reversing last year's slight decrease. This surge in demand is attributed to higher electricity consumption and disruptions in oil and gas supplies at the Strait of Hormuz.",
  "summary": "India is weighing ideas to mandate imported coal blending at power plants as coal stocks at many facilities have crumbled amid logistics issues in recent months, government sources with direct knowledge of the discussions have told Reuters. If India initiates a mandatory blending of imported coal, it would be the first time it will have done so since 2024. The idea is to mandate power plants to…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}