Coal India production falls 11.6% in May amid record demand
Coal India Ltd. (CIL) saw its coal production fall by 11.6% in May 2026, with output down to 56.1 million metric tons from last year's 63.5 million metric tons.
This dip happened just as India's power demand hit a record-breaking 270.82 gigawatts on May 21, so the timing couldn't be trickier.
Interestingly, even with less coal produced, CIL managed to boost its coal offtake by 2.2%, reaching 66.7 million metric tons.
Coal India April-May output down 10.6%
CIL subsidiaries reported lower production in May, except South Eastern Coalfields Ltd., which actually grew a bit.
Overall output for April-May dropped by 10.6%, but coal sales nudged up slightly to 130.9 million metric tons compared to last year's numbers.
With nearly 70% of India's electricity still powered by coal, CIL remains crucial in keeping the lights on, even when challenges pile up and demand keeps rising.