India’s electricity demand climbed to an all-time high of 260.45 gigawatts (GW) on May 19, as intense summer heat gripped several parts of the country, including Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Delhi and Punjab.
Officials attributed the surge to sharply higher use of air-conditioners, fans and coolers in homes and offices, alongside rising sales of cooling appliances. The previous peak of 257.37 GW was recorded on May 18, and was surpassed the very next day.
The demand spike was notable because it occurred during daytime hours when solar generation is typically high. Despite the unprecedented load, authorities said there were no major disruptions such as power cuts, with the national power system handling the peak through real-time coordination.
Central government officials said the grid relied on a mix of sources rather than only thermal plants, integrating renewables, wind and hydropower with precise operational management. The power ministry has earlier projected that peak demand this summer could reach 271 GW, and said national, state and regional load dispatch centres were coordinated to ensure adequate generation and supply.
On the day of the peak, thermal power contributed about 67% (174,565 MW). Other supplies included hydropower (11,422 MW), wind (4,897 MW), nuclear (6,293 MW), gas-based generation (5,205 MW) and solar (56,204 MW), with solar accounting for about 21% of total demand.
