India’s peak power consumption reaches record 270 GW as temperature rises | Today’s news

New Delhi: India’s peak power demand hit an all-time high of 270.7 GW on Thursday afternoon, marking the fourth consecutive day of record power consumption as a severe heat wave gripped the country. The previous record of 265.44 GW was set just a day earlier on Wednesday.

Data from the National Power Portal showed demand for lead peaked at 3:47 p.m. Thursday.

The Central Electricity Authority has projected a peak consumption of 271 GW for this fiscal.

Meanwhile, in its latest update, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday that heatwaves to severe heatwaves are likely to prevail over the plains of northwest and central India, including adjoining eastern regions, till the week ending May 27, putting pressure on power grids.

Key things

• India’s peak power consumption hit an all-time high of 270.7 GW on Thursday.
• It is the fourth day in a row that national demand records have been broken.
• The IMD has predicted that severe heat waves will continue in North India till May 27.
• Coal stocks in power plants are at the appropriate level for roughly 16.5 operating days.
• Delhi’s peak demand came close to an all-time high, crossing 8,000 MW for two consecutive days.

Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi are expected to face the harshest conditions, with severe heat waves predicted between May 22 and 27, while Punjab is likely to remain under a prolonged spell of heat wave during the same period.

Thermal and solar sources contributed the most with electricity production of 171.81 GW and 59.87 GW. Stocks of domestic and imported coal in power plants amount to 51.12 million tons, equivalent to roughly 16.5 days of operation, according to data from the Central Electricity Authority.

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The IMD said that eastern and western Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Bihar, Telangana, Odisha and parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh will experience heatwaves over several days this week. Isolated areas of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand may also experience heat waves on Friday.

According to the IMD, warm night conditions are very likely to prevail in isolated pockets over Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Vidarbha, Bihar, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi during May 22-25.

Generation picture

The Met office said maximum temperatures in northwest, west and central India remained in the range of 40-47 degrees Celsius on May 20, with Banda in Uttar Pradesh recording 48 degrees Celsius as the highest temperature in the country. Temperatures were well above normal by more than 5°C in parts of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and coastal Andhra Pradesh, underscoring the intensity of the ongoing heat spell on 20 May.

Meanwhile, peak power demand in the national capital hit its highest level this year at 8,231 MW on Thursday. Delhi’s record peak demand is 8,656 MW, achieved in June 2024.

Delhi’s peak electricity demand in May 2026 has increased sharply compared to previous years, reflecting the impact of an early intense summer. This is the second day in a row that Delhi’s peak power consumption has crossed the 8,000 MW mark.

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A BSES official said that in the national capital, discoms are ready to ensure reliable power supply to more than 53 million consumers and nearly 2.25 million residents in South, West, East and Central Delhi. These arrangements include long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs), bilateral ties, banking agreements with other states, and the deployment of advanced technologies such as AI and ML-based demand forecasting to accurately estimate load and maintain uninterrupted supply. BSES drives are successfully meeting the growing demand for power in Delhi

A Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd spokesperson said the discom has taken comprehensive measures to ensure uninterrupted power supply during the peak season.

“Adequate measures have been put in place to maintain reliability of supply through bilateral agreements, reserve shutdown mechanisms and participation in energy exchanges,” the spokesman said.

A tale of two weathers

In contrast, sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, NE India and adjacent eastern regions are likely to experience isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall for a few days during the week, potentially providing some relief from rising temperatures in these areas.

Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon is showing signs of progress. According to the IMD, conditions are favorable for its further advance into other parts of the Southeast Arabian Sea, Comorin area, Southwest and Southeast Bay of Bengal, remaining Andaman Sea area and parts of East-Central Bay of Bengal during the next three to four days.

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The contrasting weather pattern – extreme heat in the north and the advance of the monsoon in the south – comes at a critical time for agriculture and energy demand, with prolonged high temperatures likely to keep electricity consumption up as farmers wait for the onset of monsoon rains for kharif sowing.