India’s electricity demand has risen sharply much earlier than usual this summer. The country recently recorded a peak demand of 256 GW (on April 25, 2026), the highest ever (at the time of writing), mainly due to intense heatwaves in the northern and central regions of the country. The increased use of air conditioners and cooling appliances has pushed consumption to record levels.
This new peak crossed the previous high of 251 GW, seen in May 2024. Record-breaking high demand is usually seen in the months of May and June. However, this year, an early summer has led to a sudden spike in power consumption.
In many parts of the country, daytime temperatures currently range between 40 °C and 45 °C, about 2–2.5 °C higher than last year during the same period. Peak demand was comparatively lower at 243 GW during summer 2025 due to favourable weather conditions and an early monsoon.
Notably, the actual demand has also been much higher than expected. Grid India had estimated a peak of about 239.5 GW for the week ending April 26 (based on an AI demand forecast), but the demand has already gone beyond that level. With heatwave conditions likely to continue, demand is expected to remain high in the coming weeks.
Looking ahead, demand is expected to grow further. The Central Electricity Authority has projected that peak demand could reach about 289 GW in fiscal year 2027. With the emergence of El Nino this year, there is expected to be an increase in temperatures and a reduction in rainfall, pushing up cooling demand.
To manage the situation, steps have already been taken on the supply side. Maintenance for around 10 GW of thermal power capacity has been postponed to ensure higher availability during the summer months. At the same time, managing evening demand remains a key challenge, as solar power is not available after sunset, increasing dependence on flexible sources such as hydro, wind and battery storage.
Experts believe that discoms need to stay prepared. They should maintain adequate reserves, ensure backup arrangements and have access to transmission networks so that they can procure power from other states when needed. The government has also taken steps to ensure sufficient supply, including increasing generation from imported coal-based plants.
Power Line will continue to track demand trends in the coming months and assess how the sector responds to rising peak loads…