India’s electricity demand touched a record 270 GW on Thursday as a severe heatwave continued to sweep across large parts of the country, putting enormous pressure on the national power grid for the fourth consecutive day.
According to the power ministry, peak power demand reached 270.82 GW at 3:45 pm and was successfully met without major disruptions. The previous record of 265.44 GW had been recorded only a day earlier on Wednesday.
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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned that extreme temperatures are likely to persist through the week across northwest, central and adjoining eastern parts of the country. Authorities said the intense daytime heat has sharply increased electricity consumption, especially due to cooling requirements in homes, offices and industries.
In a statement posted on X, the power ministry said this was the fourth straight day of all-time high peak demand during solar hours. Officials added that the grid remained stable despite the unprecedented load.
Solar energy played a major role in meeting daytime demand, contributing nearly 80 GW or around 32% of total power generation during afternoon hours. Experts said renewable energy has become increasingly important in reducing stress on conventional power sources during peak summer periods.
Trishant Dev from the Centre for Science and Environment said thermal power continues to remain the backbone of India’s electricity system, while solar energy is carrying a significant share of daytime demand.
Energy experts also warned that rising night-time temperatures could create additional strain on coal-based plants in the coming weeks. Analysts called for faster expansion of battery storage, better coal stock management and wider use of smart tariffs to manage future spikes in electricity demand.
