Power demand spikes amid soaring mercury level, seen at record high this year | Details
India's power demand soared to nearly 240 GW amid intensifying heat across the country. It also marked the highest level of the summer season. Data shows a sharp rise in electricity consumption due to the extensive use of cooling appliances.
India's electricity demand climbed sharply on Wednesday touching nearly 240 GW - the highest of this summer season so far, news agency PTI reported. The steep rise is linked to soaring temperatures across multiple regions, which in turn have pushed households and commercial establishments to rely heavily on coolers, fans and air conditioners. Latest data from the Ministry of Power shows that the peak power demand met, which represents the highest supply reached in a single day, stood at 239.70 GW on April 22. This marks the season's strongest demand spike.
Demand pattern through April
During the first half of April, demand remained relatively subdued as it stayed below last year's April average of 235.32 GW. However, numbers began rising rapidly from mid-month. On April 16, peak supply reached 234.81 GW, followed by a sudden jump to 238.94 GW on April 17. The following day, it remained strong at 238.80 GW. Demand dipped to 225.69 GW on April 19 but rose again to 237.43 GW on April 20, before slightly sliding to 236.73 GW on April 21.
Heatwave expected to push demand even higher
Experts believe the country's power requirement will surge further as temperatures rise. Increased use of cooling appliances by both domestic and commercial users is expected to drive electricity consumption to new highs in the coming weeks. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), heatwave conditions are expected to persist across major parts of northwest, central and eastern India for the next four to five days.
Record highs from previous year
It is worth noting here that India's all-time peak power demand touched about 250 GW in May 2024. Before that, the previous record stood at 243.27 GW in September 2023. Last year, from April 2025 onward, the highest demand peaked at 242.77 GW in June, remaining below the government's projection of 277 GW. For the current summer season, the power ministry has projected peak demand at around 270 GW and signalled a challenging period ahead for the energy sector as temperatures continue to climb.