New Delhi, March 25— India should prepare for a 9-10% surge in peak electricity demand this summer as more intense heatwaves loom, experts have warned.
Last year, the country’s peak electricity demand hit 250 gigawatts (GW) on May 30—6.3% higher than projections. Rising temperatures linked to climate change are a major factor behind the growing power consumption.
“Industries, households, and agriculture account for 33%, 28%, and 19% of India’s total electricity use, respectively,” said Disha Agarwal, Senior Programme Lead – Renewables at the Delhi-based Council on Energy, Environment and Water. She noted that household electricity consumption has increased the fastest over the past decade.
Agarwal cautioned that while peak demand will rise sharply, it will likely be short-lived. “Our analysis shows that this peak demand will only last for a short period,” she said.
India’s electricity use has been growing at around 9% annually since 2020-21, compared to 5% in the previous decade, Agarwal noted. The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) had projected a 6% annual growth rate in power demand from 2022 to 2030.
