India raised coal-fired power generation in April as a nationwide heatwave and energy supply disruptions from the Iran war pushed up electricity demand and made gas-fired power less competitive, according to S&P Global Energy and Fitch Ratings. [1]
Coal-fired generation in India reached 164.9 average gigawatts in April 2026, up from 160.7 average gigawatts a year earlier and 5.6 average gigawatts, or 3.5%, higher than in the previous month. [1] Coal still provides more than 70% of India's power, and that share is expected to rise in 2026, even though non-fossil sources made up more than 52% of installed capacity as of February 2026, mainly from solar, hydropower and wind. [1]
Coal-fired plants account for nearly 43% of installed generation capacity and remain the dominant source of electricity. [1] About 4% of installed capacity is gas-fired, most of it tied to liquefied natural gas imported through the Strait of Hormuz. [1] Higher LNG prices linked to the Iran war have made gas-based power generation uneconomic in India during the peak summer months, while coal has taken up the load, said Girish Madan, director of corporate ratings at Fitch Ratings: "So, coal-based power needs to share a higher burden in these peak summer months." [1]
Electricity demand has climbed as temperatures surge, with widespread readings above 40 C to 45 C across India. [1] On April 27, all 50 of the world's hottest cities were in India, according to AQI data. [1] Andre Lambine, lead APAC short-term power and renewables research at S&P Global Energy, said: "Heatwave conditions, with readings above 40-45 degrees C (Celsius), across several places in India have lifted power demand." [1]
Gas-fired generation recovered slightly in the last weeks of April, but it remained 1.5 average gigawatts below 2025 levels, showing coal's continued displacement of gas in the power mix. [1] India is expected to face more heatwave conditions across parts of the northwest, central and western regions, as well as the east coast, in May 2026. [1] Lambine said coal generation could grow 10% year on year if the El Niño climate effect develops. [1]