Power Demand Forecast

Pakistan plans two-hour evening power cuts to tackle energy crisis

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

India defers power plant maintenance to add capacity for summer peak

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 gains hinge on higher e-auction volumes, demand recovery

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

Energy mix needed to meet long-term power demand: Union Power Secretary

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

India's power demand growth to slow to 1% in FY26, lowest in 5 years: ICRA

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

India sees power demand surge to a record, adding to energy crisis

The war in the West Asia, now in its third week, has roiled energy markets, cutting off flows of crude and liquefied natural gas to the world and driving up prices

Delhi peak power demand may cross 9K MW this summer amid heatwave fears

Power demand in Delhi may cross 9,000 MW this summer as above-normal temperatures and more heatwave days are forecast, with discom BSES preparing to meet higher electricity load

Coal India gears up to meet peak summer power demand, assures ample stocks

State-owned Coal India Limited (CIL) on Friday said it is geared up to meet a potential surge in summer coal demand, dismissing concerns of domestic fuel shortages as power consumption begins to rise. The company said a three-tier buffer across the supply chain - pithead stock, coal inventory at thermal power plants and ready-to-extract in-situ reserves - ensures comfortable availability ahead of the peak demand season. CIL's producing subsidiaries were holding 115 million tonnes (MT) of coal at pitheads as of February 26, 2026, a figure expected to rise further by the close of the fiscal year. Power plants typically require significantly higher quantities of coal during the summer months as electricity demand surges across the country. Rising temperatures lead to increased use of air conditioners, coolers, refrigerators and irrigation pumps, pushing peak power consumption to annual highs. Coal-based thermal power dominates India's electricity generation, accounting for roughly 70

Rising power demand could lead to higher emissions for India in 2026

After a rare dip in coal generation in 2025, India's emissions may edge up in 2026 as power demand rebounds and thermal plants anchor the grid

Power demand dips in November as temperatures fall; coal output declines

India's power demand dipped 0.3% to 123 BUs in November amid lower temperatures, even as peak demand hit a record 216 GW, with RE and hydro generation rising and coal output falling

Delhi's winter power demand to rise to new record high of 6,000 MW

Within the areas of power discom BSES, winter peaks last year reached 2,431 MW in BRPL and 1,105 MW in BYPL

India's electricity demand likely to grow 4-4.5% in FY26, says ICRA

ICRA expects electricity demand to rebound in the second half of FY26, with renewables and stable economic activity driving growth despite early monsoon effects

Draft bill floated to open up retail power sector nationwide to pvt firms

The move will allow private companies such as Adani Enterprises, Tata Power, Torrent Power and CESC to strengthen their presence across the country

Power puzzles in GDP: Energy consumption falls despite growth numbers

At first glance, the GDP data would seem overstated. Power consumption, which is metered, correlates closely with economic activity and is likely to be more accurate than GDP calculations

Peak power demand unlikely to reach 277 GW this summer due to rains: CEA

Peak power demand is unlikely to touch the projected 277 GW this summer as intermittent rains have reduced the use of cooling appliances such as air conditioners, a top government official said on Friday. "No, I don't think that it (peak power demand) will go to that level now. If this kind of rain continues, then it will not reach," Ghanshyam Prasad, the Chairperson of Central Electricity Authority (CEA) told PTI on the sidelines of BNEF Summit in the national capital. The regulatory body chief was responding to a question whether the peak power demand would touch the projected level of 277 GW. The CEA formulates short-term and perspective plans for the development of the electricity system, and coordinates the activities of the planning agencies. The government had projected 277 gigawatt (GW) of peak power demand for 2025-26. Various government sources had expected the peak demand to hit the 277 GW level by September. Prasad also said that 277 GW was not a target, but a projecti

Why Big Tech is turning to nuclear energy to power the AI revolution

Technology giants are exploring nuclear energy as a sustainable solution to fuel the rapidly growing energy needs of AI-driven data centres

Bernstein expects markets to consolidate; sees Nifty at 26,500 by 2025-end

As a strategy, they have moved utilities sector to equal weight. Financials, Telecom, small discretionary, remain their overweight sectors.

Thermal power segment to attract ₹2.3 trn investments over 3 yrs: Crisil

The thermal power segment is expected to attract Rs 2.3 lakh crore worth of investments over the next three fiscals, on account of renewed focus to help meet India's growing energy demand, Crisil Ratings said on Wednesday. The capital expenditure in thermal power stood at Rs 1.1 lakh crore over the three fiscals through 2025, Crisil Ratings said in a report. "Investments to set up thermal electricity generation capacities will double to Rs 2.3 lakh crore over the three fiscals through 2028, compared with the preceding three fiscals, because of renewed focus on the segment to help meet India's growing demand for energy and base load power requirement," it said. In the preceding three fiscals, private companies accounted for only 7-8 per cent of the investments. On expanded investment levels over the next three fiscals, private companies will contribute nearly a third, with central and state public sector undertakings accounting for the balance. The government has set a target of at

Early monsoon may dent power cos earnings in near-term, say analysts

By comparison, the BSE Sensex index has jumped by nearly 8 per cent during the period, while the BSE Power index has underperformed the benchmark, rising by 5.2 per cent.

India plans to standardise air-conditioning temperature to save power

The move aims to cut peak power consumption, reduce emissions and electricity bills, and promote energy efficiency amid rising cooling demand in a warming climate