India's power consumption soars nearly 10% to 70.66 bn units in first half of April

• India's power consumption surges nearly 10 per cent to 70.66 billion units in the first half of April
• Peak power demand met reaches around 218 GW during this period, significant increase from previous year
• Ministry anticipates a peak demand of 260 GW for the summer season

India's power consumption has surged by nearly 10 per cent year-on-year, reaching 70.66 billion units (BU) in the first half of April this year. This significant increase, as reported by the power ministry, indicates a positive trend in economic activities and consumption patterns across the nation. In comparison, the power consumption stood at 64.24 MU during the same period last year.

During the initial fortnight of April, the peak power demand met, signifying the highest supply in a day, escalated to approximately 218 GW. This rise marks a notable increase from the 206 GW recorded during the corresponding period a year ago. Notably, the highest supply in a day throughout April last year had amounted to about 216 GW.

The power ministry has forecasted a peak power demand of 260 GW for the summer season, spanning from April to June. This projection accounts for the anticipation of longer heatwave durations across various regions. Previously, the peak power demand had hit an unprecedented high of 243 GW in September 2023.

Experts suggest that the power demand is expected to witness further growth in the upcoming days. The recent rainfall in different parts of the country has resulted in reduced dependency on cooling appliances such as air conditioners and desert coolers, typically in high demand during this season.