# India Considers Raising Planned Coal Additions to 105 GW-150 GW

By John Kim

Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/business/31306
Published: 2026-10-13T16:02:28.000Z
Updated: 2026-10-13T16:02:28.000Z
Section: Business

> The current framework calls for 97 gigawatts of new coal-fired capacity by 2035 as peak demand reaches new highs.

India may consider changing its coal-power planning framework through 2035 as electricity demand accelerates and grid constraints support investment, with a senior official mentioning possible additions of 105 GW or 150 GW.

Central Electricity Authority Chairperson Ghanshyam Prasad outlined the possible increase Tuesday, Oct. 13, at an Indian Chamber of Commerce event. “Now, probably it will go up to 105 GW or even 150 GW,” Prasad said.

The current planning framework calls for adding 97 gigawatts (GW) of coal-fired capacity by 2035, which would bring total coal capacity to 307 GW. Prasad did not specify whether 105 GW or 150 GW would become the planning figure, or whether either number represented additions beyond the existing 97 GW target.

“Demand is growing and as the demand grows we need a stable supply resources to meet this demand as well,” Prasad said.

India’s national peak demand reached 270 GW in the second quarter of fiscal 2026-27, an increase of 40 GW, or 18%, from a year earlier. Renewable capacity excluding large hydropower reached 243 GW in August, equal to 44% of total installed capacity.

Coal and lignite capacity stood at 231 GW, or 42% of India’s 555 GW of installed power capacity. Renewable capacity excluding large hydropower rose from 193 GW, or 39% of installed capacity, in August 2025, exceeding coal and lignite capacity by 12 GW in August 2026.

Coal remains important for supplying electricity when solar, wind and hydropower output does not match demand. About 44 GW of coal-based capacity was under construction in August, and 90% of that capacity was less than 50% complete.

Renewable additions continued to outpace thermal additions, but rising peak demand and the need for dependable supply are keeping coal-power projects in India’s planning debate. The government has not confirmed a revision to the existing 97 GW framework.