Electricity Demands

India's power consumption grew by 11.62 per cent to 166.46 billion units (BU) in June compared to the same month last year due to heat wave conditions and late onset of monsoon across the country, which pushed usage of cooling appliances like air conditioners, according to official data. The country's total power consumption was 149.13 BU in June 2025. The peak power demand also jumped to 264.76 GW last month from 242.77GW in June 2025. The southwest monsoon had set over Kerala on June 4, 2026. Generally, the monsoon arrives in Kerala around June 1, which marks the beginning of the southwest monsoon season (June-September). Thereafter, the slow progress of the monsoon in June led to heat wave conditions, which increased the use of cooling appliances like air conditioners and desert coolers, thereby increasing power demand and consumption, the experts said. They are of the view that power demand will be steady in July, as the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts a sligh

AI-driven data centres are making electricity demand harder to predict, with utilities turning to AI to optimise grids and manage rising power needs

Prolonged heatwave conditions and higher manufacturing activity pushed India's power demand up 11.2 per cent year-on-year to 165 billion units in May

One of the biggest surges is expected at half-time, as hundreds of thousands of viewers leave their couches and switch on kettles all at once

India's grid is increasingly managing daytime demand through solar power, but evening shortages show why storage and flexibility are now critical

The ministry discussed transmission planning, storage systems, grid resilience and renewable energy integration to ensure stability as electricity demand continues to grow

Extreme heat across north and central India is pushing electricity demand to record highs, exposing supply gaps and testing the resilience of the power system

India's power consumption grew 11.55 per cent year-on-year to 164.98 billion units (BU) in May, as heat wave conditions across the country pushed usage of cooling appliances like air conditioners and desert coolers, according to official data. The country's total power consumption was 147.89 BU in May 2025. The peak power demand jumped to an all-time record high of 270.82 GW last month from 230.99 GW recorded in May 2025 amid heat wave conditions. The peak power demand touched an all-time record high for four days in a row in May this year. The peak power demand was at a record high of 257.37 GW on May 18, 260.45 GW on May 19, 265.44 GW on May 20 and 270.82 GW on May 21. The peak power demand was at a record high of 256.11 GW on April 25. Earlier, the peak power demand had touched an all-time high of about 250 GW in May 2024. According to the power ministry, peak power demand was projected to hit 270 GW in the summer of 2026. Last summer, the peak power demand was 242.77 GW, r

Large swathes of India have suffered from blistering heat waves this summer, with sweltering temperatures around-the-clock pushing peak electricity demand to new highs

As temperatures soar and electricity demand touches record highs, cities across India are witnessing frequent outages driven by ageing infrastructure and transmission constraints

Several regions faced power cuts as soaring temperatures pushed electricity demand beyond 270 GW, prompting calls for more judicious power use

India's peak electricity demand crossed 270 GW amid rising temperatures and severe heatwave conditions, surpassing previous records for the fourth time this month

Rising electricity costs is worsening heat stress for low-income households

India's peak power demand touched a record 260.45 GW amid rising temperatures, with the government saying demand was met without any shortfall

India's peak power demand hit an all-time high of 257.37 GW on Monday, primarily driven by increased usage of cooling devices such as air conditioners and desert coolers amid intensifying heat wave conditions, according to power ministry data. The peak power demand on Monday eclipsed the previous all-time high of 256.11 GW on April 25, 2026, at 1538 hrs. According to the power ministry data, peak power demand set a new high of 257.37 GW at 1542 hrs on Monday, and it was fully met. The Power Ministry projects that India's peak power demand will reach 270 GW this summer. Meanwhile, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has projected heatwave conditions this week in large parts of northwest and central India, as the mercury inched towards the 45-degree mark in many places on Monday. Isolated pockets of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi are expected to witness heat wave conditions between Monday and May 24, while heat wave to severe heat wave conditions are set to hit parts of

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Wednesday said that nearly one-third of the record peak demand of over 256 GW earlier this month was met through renewable energy like solar, wind and hydro. The peak power demand touched a record high of 256.11 GW on Saturday, April 25, 2026, according to Power Ministry data. Speaking at the Resilient Futures Summit organised by Economist Enterprise, Joshi, the new and renewable energy minister, said that one-third of the peak power generation on 25th April was successfully met through renewable energy. That itself showcases that India is capable of generating and India is capable of handling peak power demand through renewable energy, he pointed out. The minister highlighted that India is investing in grid modernisation, digitisation, and also using AI and digital twins. "I think in the coming days...the generation capacity will also increase," he said. The minister also said that the government is making efforts to translate installed capacity

Fresh data from the Grid Controller of India shows that electricity demand met by the grid touched a peak of 256.11 GW at 3:38 pm on Saturday, 25 April, up from 252.11 GW recorded on Friday, 24 April

Energy supplied by state power retailers during the year rose almost 1 per cent, the worst performance since 2021 when electricity use declined due to the pandemic

ICRA expects India's power demand growth to slow to 1 per cent in FY26, the lowest in five years, citing a prolonged monsoon, weak demand and a high base effect

Weak demand and higher renewable generation dragged February spot power prices lower, even as electricity trade volumes jumped to a five-year high, reflecting strong market liquidity