PowerWatch | Pleasant weather gone, peak demand shoots to 191.6 GW from 180 GW

PowerWatch

India met a peak power demand of 191.6 gigawatts (GW) on May 8. The demand which could not be met on the day, or the peak demand deficit, increased to 1,855 megawatts (MW) from 606 MW on May 7.

The power demand is likely to further climb this week as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said heatwave is likely to make a comeback in most parts of India after days of pleasant weather. The IMD in its bulletin on May 9 stated that parts of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and central India are expected to record temperatures as high as 45 degrees Celsius. Delhi and its neighbouring areas are likely to witness temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius.

On May 7, the peak demand that was met was 180.3 GW. On May 6, it was 185.6 GW, while on May 5, the same was 184.35 GW.

Last year on May 8, the peak demand met was lower than this time. It was 189.2 GW on May 8, while the shortage was 430 MW. However, until May 7, the power demand remained lower than last year in the same period.

The reduction in demand this year in this period has been 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. On May 1, India experienced a peak power demand of 159.7 gigawatts (GW), the lowest for this day in three years.

The coal stocks situation continues to be “manageable”, as of now, data showed. Of the 165 domestic coal-based thermal power plants in the country, 29 had critical stocks as on May 7. Last year at this time, the number of such plants was around 96. About 33 million tonnes (MT) of coal are stocked at thermal power plants.

Coal stock is said to be at a critical level when power plants have less than 25 percent of the normative 26 days of fuel with them.

A report by CRISIL Ratings released on May 8 also stated that this year, the coal supply situation has fared much better. "Overall despatch of coal to end users increased 11.6 percent on-year to 80.35 MT in April 2023. Despatches made to power plants were up 6.6 percent to 65.41 MT in the same period. The increase in domestic supply, and the mandate to blend 6 percent of requirement with imported coal in the first half of fiscal 2024, has led to adequate buffers at thermal power plants this time," the report stated.