PowerWatch | India's peak power demand at 3-Year low amid cooler weather

power demand

India experienced a peak power demand of 159.7 gigawatts (GW) on May 1, the lowest for this day in three years. The demand, which could not be met on the day, or the peak demand deficit, was 53 megawatts (MW), the lowest in a decade, according to data seen by Moneycontrol.

The reduction can be attributed to rains and thunderstorms in several parts of the country, leading to a drop in temperature that was lower than normal for this time of year. Normally, North India sees high temperatures and even heatwaves at this time, and the government had predicted the peak power demand to reach 230 GW this April.

The Indian Meteorological Department's (IMD) latest bulletin states that several parts of India are likely to experience heavy rainfall in the coming days, with some areas possibly affected by hailstorms. If such weather conditions continue, India's peak power demand will likely remain below the 200 GW mark for the rest of the week.

Also read: Coal India output rises 7.7% in April; availability comfortable, power plants stocked.

On May 2, Coal India (CIL) informed the exchanges that its coal production had increased by 7.7 percent in April 2023. It also mentioned that supplies to users surged just as summer began.

The world's largest coal miner reported a 31 percent increase in overburden removal (OBR) in April compared to the same month the previous year. The company noted that this would help ramp up production during the upcoming monsoon months.

Coal India recorded a 44 percent year-on-year (YoY) growth in supplies to the non-regulated sector (NRS). The company stated that it is fully operational in anticipation of a hotter summer compared to the previous year.

On April 30, the country witnessed a peak power demand of 173 gigawatts (GW), a decrease of 24 GW from the demand of 197 GW on April 28. Power demand had started to rise between April 24 and April 27. However, due to a western disturbance hitting Delhi and other parts of North and Eastern India, temperatures fell, leading to a decline in power demand from April 28.

According to the data, the daily peak demand crossed the 200 GW mark for nine days in April. The country's power consumption decreased for the second consecutive month by 1.1 percent, reaching 130.57 billion units (BU) in April. This decline was also observed in March, with power consumption dropping to 126.82 BU during the month compared to 128.47 BU the previous year.