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
Adani Electricity Mumbai Ltd has received a AAA credit rating, becoming the first privately owned power distribution company in India to achieve a rating on par with the sovereign, according to India Ratings. "The rating upgrade reflects strong regulatory support, improving credit metrics and sustained deleveraging, supported by stable cash flows under a cost-plus regulatory framework," India Ratings said in a statement. Acquired in 2018 from Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, Mumbai utility has seen a sharp turnaround under the Adani Group. Since the acquisition, the company has more than doubled its asset base to over Rs 10,000 crore, through sustained capital expenditure to meet rising electricity demand in India's financial capital. India Ratings cited "timely and cost-reflective tariff orders issued by the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission," adding that these have enabled "full recovery of past regulatory assets, including carrying costs, restoring regulatory balances to
India's power demand surge to 2030 will be driven increasingly by AI and data centres, with tech majors fuelling a sharp rise in electricity consumption and capex
Big Tech is pumping more than $60 billion into data centres in India to power a smart future. This will also put pressure on scarce power and water resources. Fortunately, there are solutions
Power consumption in the country fell marginally by 0.31 per cent to 123.4 billion units (BU) in November from 123.79 BU a year ago, due to frugal use of cooling appliances. According to the government data, power consumption had declined by 5.8 per cent year-on-year in October this year to 131.07 BU. Power consumption had risen to 145.66 BU in September from 140.61 BU in the same month a year ago. Experts said October also saw unseasonal rains in various parts of the country which reduced the need of cooling appliance and with onset of winter in November, the usage reduced to almost nil. They also stated that though the winter season has begun, the need for using heating appliances like geysers and blowers was not felt by many people during November. However, the peak power demand met or the highest supply during November rose to 215.54 GW from 207.44 GW recorded in November 2024. The peak power demand had touched an all-time high of about 250 GW in May 2024. The previous all-t
Growth in electricity use has tapered this year due to a broader economic slowdown and heavy rains, which have reduced cooling demand
ICRA expects electricity demand to rebound in the second half of FY26, with renewables and stable economic activity driving growth despite early monsoon effects
The new cap will not affect below poverty line (BPL) households, which receive up to 30 units of electricity free every month
A regulatory asset is an intangible asset created by electricity discoms to account for the gap between the price at which they purchase power and the price at which they sell it to customers
India's electricity demand is expected to grow by a moderate 4 per cent in 2025, after cooler summer temperatures in the first half of the year reduced consumption and shifted peak load to September, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said. In its mid-year update on electricity, IEA said while global power demand is rising much faster than the forecast for the 2025-2026 period than it did during the past decade, electricity demand in China and India is expected to rise at a more moderate pace in 2025 than the rapid growth seen in 2024. "After 6 per cent growth in 2024, electricity demand in India is forecast to rise by 4 per cent this year," it said. IEA projected Chinese consumption to rise 5 per cent in 2025, down from 7 per cent in the previous year. However, China alone will account for 50 per cent of global electricity demand growth, as it did in 2024. "In India, the impact of global economic uncertainties on industrial activity and cooler summer temperatures compared to 20
Fitch Ratings says Indian power gencos are insulated from volume risk due to regulated assets and fixed-tariff contracts, despite a slowdown in electricity demand growth