India is ready to meet up to 270 GW of peak power demand during summer season this year and the government will make it mandatory for thermal plants, especially those using imported coal, to run at full capacity, Union Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal said on Friday. In 2024, the country was able to meet the peak power demand of 250 GW during summer against the projected demand of 260 GW. Addressing a press conference here, Agarwal informed that thermal power plants in the country have sufficient coal stocks of 51 million tonnes, which is enough for generating electricity for 21 days. "If we require we will invoke Section 11 (of Electricity Act) for meeting the demand," Agarwal assured. The Section 11 allows the government to mandate power producers to operate plants in a specified manner in extraordinary circumstances. Earlier last year, the power ministry had invoked Section 11 and mandated plants using imported coal to run at full capacity to avoid any shortage of power in the ..