India's peak power demand breached all previous records on August 17 as the country clocked a demand of 234,058 megawatt (MW) or 234 gigawatt (GW) owing to rising temperatures and humidity.
According to data presented by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), rainfall went from a positive 15 percent in July to a negative 36 percent in August as 263 out of 717 districts in India received inadequate rainfall. This has led to an increase in day temperatures, which, coupled with humidity, has resulted in a spike in power demand. The weather conditions also hint at a possible El Nino setting in.
However, the demand that could not be met, also known as the peak demand deficit, stood at 7,255 MW. The unusually high peak demand deficit reflects that several parts of the country are facing power cuts. Even as urban areas might not feel the pinch, the real impact of the deficit plays out in the form of power cuts in India's rural areas.
Uttar Pradesh had a shortage of 800 MW in meeting its peak demand on August 17, while Bihar had a deficit of 207 MW. Rajasthan too has been witnessing power cuts, especially in its industrial and rural areas.
The demand on August 17 exceeded the previous high of 233 GW, which was met a day before on August 16. The deficit on August 16 was also high at 5,915 MW.
In 2022, the highest peak demand met was 212 GW on June 10.
In July this year, the power demand remained low due to rains across the country. But in the first half of June, the demand had peaked in the north of 220 GW. On June 9, the country witnessed a power demand of 223.23 GW, the highest ever for the month in India. But even during that time, the peak demand deficit remained as low as 189 MW.
Keeping in mind the sustained growth in power demand, the government on June 12 also extended its direction to imported coal-based plants to mandatorily operate and generate power till September 30 this year. This direction was issued under Section 11 of the Electricity Act, 2003. Prior to the June 12 extension, the mandate was to be valid till June 15.
Coal stocks continued to be manageable, as of now, data showed. Of the 165 domestic coal-based thermal power plants in the country, 28 had critical stocks as on August 16. At least 30.4 million tonnes (MT) of coal are stocked at thermal power plants.
The share of renewable energy sources (wind, solar and hybrid) in the total energy generation on August 17, the day of the record-high power demand so far, was 13.48 percent. The share of RE along with hydropower, nuclear and others was 30.54 percent, data showed.
On the same day (August 17), the non-solar (night-time) peak power demand also remained as high as 212.7 GW.
The Power Ministry had projected the peak demand to reach 230 GW this summer, and Power Minister RK Singh stated that the country is prepared to meet this demand.
The deficit rainfall in multiple eastern and southern states has firmed up the fear of drought, particularly in worst-hit states like Bihar where 31 out of 38 districts received inadequate rainfall, Kerala where all 14 districts faced a shortfall, Jharkhand where 21 out of the 24 districts lacked enough rain, and Uttar Pradesh where 46 out of 75 districts were largely dry.
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