Power Demand Forecast

Coal India said current coal inventories across power plants, mine heads and transit points are sufficient to meet rising summer electricity demand without supply disruptions

State-owned CIL on Tuesday allayed fears of coal shortage, saying it has built up a buffer of 168 million tonnes (MT) to meet increased demand during the summer season. The company said it has an adequate quantity to meet the generation capacity of domestic coal-based plants, even as daily consumption of the dry fuel by thermal power plants soared. In a statement, the PSU said its coal stocks at domestic coal-based power plants stood at 47.6 million tonnes (MT) as on May 23, while inventory at the mine heads was at a comfortable 113.5 MT on May 24, up about 10 per cent from the year-ago, adding that this level is sufficient to meet 19 days of consumption. "Added to this, around three MT of coal is awaiting transit points such as goods sheds, private washeries and ports. Rakes on Run, that is, coal in transit at any point of time is around 4 MT, making a total of 168 MT of coal available in the system," the statement said. Compression of coal stock levels at coal-fired plants during

A UC Berkeley study says stricter air-conditioner efficiency standards can reduce peak power demand, lower electricity bills and help India avoid future power shortages

Delhi's electricity demand crossed 8 GW for the fourth time in six days as soaring temperatures pushed peak power consumption to a record May high

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Government urges consumers to conserve electricity as heatwaves drive record power demand, with peak consumption crossing 270 GW this week

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

The country's peak electricity demand touched a fresh record for the third straight day as severe heatwave conditions continued across several regions

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

Rating agency ICRA on Thursday said power demand will rise by 5.0-5.5 per cent in 2026-27 as against a tepid one per cent growth in 2025-26, supported by continued momentum in industrial and commercial activity. The country's power demand growth in 2026-27 is likely to be supported by agricultural and household sectors given the expectation of sub-par rainfall amidst a potential El Nino, along with demand from industries as well as from emerging sources like electric vehicles and data centres, ICRA said in a statement. The all-India thermal plant load factor (PLF or capacity utilisation) level fell to 65-66 per cent in 2025-26 amid demand moderation and is likely to remain around 65 per cent in 2026-27, given the healthy growth in generation expected from the renewable sources and 6-GW capacity addition likely in the thermal segment. Ankit Jain, Vice President & Co-Group Head - Corporate Ratings, ICRA, said in the statement that the thermal power sector in India is witnessing a ...

India's power grid handled record demand this summer, but rising heat, renewable growth and industrial expansion are testing whether its infrastructure can keep pace

Delhi's peak power demand crosses 7,000 MW in April for the first time as heatwave intensifies; discoms ramp up supply with renewables and short-term sourcing

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

India's peak power demand hit an all-time high of 256.11 GW on Saturday due to an intensifying heat wave, which increased the use of cooling devices such as air conditioners and desert coolers, according to the latest power ministry data. The peak power demand on Saturday eclipsed the previous record of 252.07 GW, hit just a day earlier on Friday, April 24, at 1548 hrs. According to the power ministry data, peak power demand set a new high of 256.11 GW at 1538 hrs on Saturday, and it was fully met. Experts stated that peak power demand is inching towards the power ministry's estimate of 270 GW for this summer season, as mercury levels have begun to rise. Temperatures in several regions have been significantly above normal - by 5 degrees Celsius or more - indicating a developing heat stress scenario across parts of the country, according to the India Meteorological Department. On Saturday, Delhi recorded its highest maximum temperature of the year so far at 42.8 degrees Celsius, ..

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

Distribution companies in Pakistan have been directed to inform consumers in advance about scheduled outages and to avoid unscheduled power cuts

India will defer maintenance shutdowns at thermal power plants and operationalise additional capacity to ensure around 10,000 MW of extra supply during peak summer demand, the Ministry of Power said on Friday, as it moved to strengthen short-term electricity availability amid global uncertainty. Power plants have to annual take a shutdown for maintenance and repair of wear-and-tear in the machinery but this has been posted to make available electricity to meet peak demand, said Piyush Singh, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Power, at a media briefing. This will help augment 10,000 megawatt (MW) of generation, which will more than compensate for the 8,000 MW of generating capacity lost because of disruption in liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies due to the war in West Asia, he said. Also, imported coal-based plants are being fully operationalised and adequate coal stocks are being maintained at thermal stations to address near-term supply pressures. India's electricity syste

Coal India's performance depends on higher e-auction volumes and demand recovery amid rising competition, elevated inventories and evolving power sector dynamics

Union Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal on Saturday stressed the need for an "energy mix" approach to meet long-term power demand and asked Rajasthan power utilities to accelerate projects based on a combination of renewable and conventional sources. During a review meeting with senior officials of the state's energy department and power companies here, Agarwal said bundling renewable and non-renewable energy sources would help manage the rising electricity demand more efficiently. He noted that decentralised solar projects under the PM-KUSUM Scheme have gained momentum in Rajasthan, but also flagged challenges related to the grid integration of solar power. The Union Power Secretary emphasised the need to strengthen grid stability and to develop battery energy storage systems in a timely manner to ensure an uninterrupted power supply during peak hours, as per an official statement. He also reviewed issues such as daytime electricity supply to the agriculture sector in 24 districts, l

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