The Ministry of Coal has urged the Uttar Pradesh government to expedite the development of its captive Saharpur Jamarpani coal block in Jharkhand, saying the block, with reserves of more than 973 million tonnes, remains unoperational more than a decade after its allotment.
The Ministry’s statement comes amid recent media reports suggesting that Uttar Pradesh is facing a severe power shortage due to disruption in coal supplies. The Ministry clarified that, as of September 15, 2026, none of the thermal power plants of Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (UPRVUNL) was in the critical-stock category.
According to the Ministry, the stock position at the state’s thermal power plants does not indicate a critical coal availability constraint at the plant level.
Saharpur Jamarpani block remains unoperational
The Saharpur Jamarpani coal block, located in Dumka district of Jharkhand, was allotted to UPRVUNL on August 13, 2015, under the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015. The block was allotted specifically to meet the coal requirements of UPRVUNL’s thermal power projects.
The Ministry said that more than 10 years after its allotment, the block has not been operationalised. Consequently, Uttar Pradesh’s power plants continue to depend entirely on Coal India Limited (CIL) for their coal requirements.
The Ministry noted that 14 other coal blocks allotted for captive use in the power sector on or after the allotment of Saharpur Jamarpani have already been operationalised and have started producing coal for their respective end-use plants.
It has advised Uttar Pradesh to take urgent steps to develop the Saharpur Jamarpani block to reduce dependence on external coal sources and strengthen long-term fuel security for its thermal power plants.
UPRVUNL coal stocks rise
The Ministry said CIL continues to fully support UPRVUNL’s coal requirements, with coal stocks at the state’s thermal power plants showing a steady improvement.
Coal stock at UPRVUNL plants increased from 7.25 lakh tonnes (LT) on September 1 to 8.41 LT on September 15, 2026.
Over the seven days preceding September 15, average daily coal receipts stood at around 0.90 LT, compared with average daily consumption of approximately 0.83 LT, indicating a continuing build-up of stocks.
Rail-based coal supplies have also remained sustained. CIL supplied an average of around 17.7 rakes per day to UPRVUNL’s power plants over the preceding 10 days.
In addition, CIL offered extra coal quantities under the Road/RCR mode to all generating companies (Gencos) and independent power producers (IPPs), including UPRVUNL, on September 3 to facilitate further augmentation of coal stocks at thermal power plants.
Unloading constraints affect rake placement
The Ministry, however, pointed to operational issues at some UPRVUNL plants, particularly unloading constraints.
According to the Ministry, these constraints periodically lead to restrictions on rake placement by the Railways, thereby limiting further augmentation of coal supplies to the plants.
It also highlighted that despite coal stocks rising to more than 8 LT, the current-month Plant Load Factor (PLF) of UPRVUNL’s thermal power plants is only around 48%.
The Ministry said lower generation during the current month cannot therefore be attributed to inadequate coal availability at the plant end. It added that improving generation would require the state to address operational constraints at its generating stations and ensure optimal utilisation of the available coal stock.
Ministry reiterates commitment to coal supplies
The Ministry and CIL reiterated their commitment to supplying coal to power plants across the country, including those in Uttar Pradesh.
At the same time, the Ministry has advised Uttar Pradesh to prioritise the early development of the Saharpur Jamarpani captive coal block, saying this would help build long-term fuel security for the state’s thermal power plants and reduce dependence on external coal sources.
