Lucknow: With the monsoon gradually losing intensity, Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL), a major subsidiary of Coal India Limited (CIL), has stepped up coal production and dispatch operations across its mining areas. On September 8, NCL’s coal production rose 67% compared with its average daily output between September 1 and 3, 2026. Coal dispatch also increased by 75% over the same period.
NCL produced 51.43 million tonnes of coal during the financial year 2026-27 up to September 8, while cumulative dispatch reached 55 million tonnes. Around 87% of NCL’s total coal dispatch is supplied to the power sector.
Railway rake loading also improved significantly, reaching 41 rakes on September 8 against an average of 19 rakes per day during September 1-3. NCL supplies coal primarily to pithead power plants as well as generating stations in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
The improvement follows several operational measures, including upgrading internal roads to speed up coal movement to coal handling plants and railway sidings. Continuous dewatering has helped restore mining areas affected by waterlogging, while regular coordination with project teams, railway authorities and consumers has strengthened the overall supply chain.
At the Coal India level, average daily coal production increased by 40%, rising from 1.36 million tonnes during the first three rain-affected days of September to around 1.91 million tonnes on September 8. Average daily dispatch to the power sector also rose 27%, from 1.37 million tonnes to 1.74 million tonnes.
The recovery indicates that coal production and supplies are gradually moving towards pre-monsoon levels, supporting more reliable fuel availability for power plants.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
