BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) on Tuesday (September 29, 2026) questioned the Telangana government’s reported move to import coal for the state’s thermal power plants. He raised concerns about the significantly higher cost of imported coal compared to supplies from Singareni Collieries and its potential impact on the power sector and consumers.
Singareni coal costs around ₹3,800 per tonne.
Imported coal is estimated at ₹9,000 per tonne (some reports cite over ₹10,000).
He described the reported decision as “another Tughlaq decision of the Congress government” and asked: “For whose benefit is this being done? Why should the people of Telangana bear this burden?”
KTR recalled that the previous BRS government under K. Chandrashekar Rao ensured uninterrupted power supply for nearly 9.5 years using Singareni coal. He also noted that Singareni supplies coal to other states including Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra.
Reports indicate that the Telangana government is considering importing up to 50 lakh tonnes of coal, primarily from Indonesia and Australia, to address shortages at thermal power stations
GENCO engineers and officials have expressed concerns that relying on costlier imported coal could strain the finances of the state power generation company and potentially lead to higher electricity costs. Domestic coal options, including from other Indian coalfields, have also been mentioned as alternatives that could be explored further.
The issue comes amid ongoing debates over coal availability, quality, and power generation shortfalls at plants such as Yadadri Thermal Power Station and others. The government has previously directed officials to explore procurement of suitable grade coal (including G-9 grade for certain plants) from sources such as Mahanadi Coalfields and Coal India.
KTR and the BRS have been actively highlighting power sector challenges in recent weeks, including coal shortages, reduced generation at key plants, and alleged irregularities at Singareni. The party has sent fact-finding teams to thermal power stations and Singareni facilities to assess the situation on the ground.
The reported import proposal has drawn criticism from opposition quarters and some engineering circles within GENCO over the financial implications for the state utility and, ultimately, consumers.