Power shortage in India: Which states are seeking additional electricity?

Tamil Nadu has turned to emergency power purchases costing up to ₹37 per unit, while other states seek additional supplies as electricity demand exceeds available generation

 

India's power shortage is intensifying as several states struggle to meet electricity demand, particularly after sunset, despite higher coal-fired power generation. According to Reuters, the deficit reached 560 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) in September 2026, its highest level since August 2023.

 

Reduced hydropower output following a weak monsoon, coal supply constraints and maintenance at thermal power plants have tightened electricity supplies. As demand remains elevated in October, several states are seeking additional allocations and turning to emergency purchases to prevent widespread power cuts.

 

States facing power shortages

 

Reuters reported that Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Delhi have sought additional electricity allocations from the Centre to avoid power cuts, particularly at night.

 

 

Gujarat has also arranged additional supplies amid rising demand, which reached a record 29,822 MW on October 16, according to The Indian Express. The state secured additional electricity through central allocations and other generating sources to manage the surge.

 

Tamil Nadu, meanwhile, has turned to expensive short-term power purchases to bridge its supply gap, agreeing to pay up to ₹37 per unit for electricity during evening peak hours. The state planned to procure around 1,500 MW of higher-cost power between October 15 and 31 as demand remained high and wind power generation fell below expectations.

 

Madhya Pradesh, despite being a power-surplus state, has also faced a widening gap between electricity demand and supply, prompting the state government to arrange additional power from Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

 

Meanwhile, Punjab has also faced a power shortfall, with demand exceeding available supply by around 800–1,000 MW during the paddy season, according to The New Indian Express.

 

What is driving the power crunch?

 

The shortage reflects pressure on both electricity generation and fuel supplies, while demand has remained high beyond the usual summer peak.

 

According to Reuters, hydropower generation fell 20 per cent year-on-year in September, even as coal-fired electricity generation increased 13.3 per cent. Lower rainfall linked to El Niño, maintenance at power plants and limited battery storage to shift daytime solar generation to evening hours have further strained electricity supplies.

 

The pressure on coal supplies has added to concerns over electricity generation, with around 47 per cent of India’s coal-fired power plants had critically low fuel stocks, equivalent to less than a quarter of their mandated coal supplies, according to Grid India data.

 

Hotter-than-usual weather has also sustained demand for cooling and agricultural irrigation, while disruptions to coal mining and railway transport have added pressure on supplies.

 

Efforts to address power shortage

 

Reuters reported that the Centre typically has around 14–15 GW of electricity from coal and hydropower plants available for allocation to states during shortages. However, much of this supply had already been allocated by October, limiting its ability to meet further requests without diverting electricity from other states.

 

The Power Ministry has also been pushing renewable energy producers to accelerate the integration of battery storage, which can store surplus daytime solar power for use after sunset.

 

Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported that the Centre had shelved a proposed coal-import mandate because of high international prices and a weaker rupee. Instead, it directed Coal India to increase domestic production and the Railways to improve coal transportation to power plants.