India's Power Surge: June's 9% Rise Due to Scorching Heatwave

India's power consumption surged by nearly 9% to 152.38 billion units in June compared to the previous year, due to excessive use of cooling appliances amid a heatwave. Peak power demand also reached new highs, driven by the scorching conditions and increased usage of air conditioners and coolers.

India's power consumption surged by almost 9% in June, reaching 152.38 billion units compared to the same period last year, driven primarily by a searing heatwave that spiked the use of air conditioners and desert coolers.

According to official data, June 2023 saw a power consumption of 140.27 billion units. Additionally, the peak power demand for a single day soared to 245.41 GW in June 2024, a substantial increase from 223.29 GW the previous year. The highest-ever peak power demand of 250.20 GW was recorded in May 2024.

The power ministry had earlier projected a peak demand of 240 GW for daytime and 235 GW for evening hours in June 2024. Experts attribute the rise in power consumption and demand to the extreme heat and humidity, noting that these trends are likely to continue due to persisting high temperatures.