41 Percent Growth in India’s Power Consumption in April 2021

Discom Losses in Focus

Power consumption in India grew 41 percent in April 2021 to reach 119.27 BU

According to data made available by the Power Ministry, power consumption in India grew 41 percent in April 2021 to reach 119.27 billion units (BU) over the same month last year, showing what the ministry believes to be a robust recovery in industrial and commercial demand of electricity. 

Power consumption in April last year was recorded at 84.55 BU. On the other hand, peak power demand met, which is the highest supply in a day, during the first half of this month remained well above the highest record of 132.20 GW in April 2020. During April this year, peak power demand met or the highest supply in a day touched the highest level of 182.55 GW and recorded a growth of nearly 38 percent over 132.73 GW recorded in the same month in 2020.

Power consumption in April last year had dropped to 84.55 BU from 110.11 BU in the same month in 2019. This happened mainly because of fewer economic activities following the imposition of lockdown by the government in the last week of March 2020 to contain the spread of deadly Covid-19. Similarly, peak power demand met or the highest power supply in a day also slumped to 132.73 GW in April last year from 176.81 GW in the same month in 2019, showing the impact of lockdown on economic activities.

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However, a similar impact can be expected again this year as India finds itself in the middle of the worst Covid-19 crisis anywhere in the world since the beginning of the pandemic. Experts are also of the opinion that local lockdowns across the country to curb the massive surge of Covid-19 positive cases may impact commercial and industrial power consumption adversely in the coming months.

Along similar lines, while Delhi remains in lockdown, Tata Power-DDL, the power utility that supplies electricity to a populace of over 7 million in North Delhi, has estimated a peak electricity demand of about 2150 MW this summer season and announced that it has made an arrangement of up to 2400 MW.

As per IMD’s summer forecast, 2021 the regions along the Indo Gangetic Plains including Delhi are likely to experience maximum temperatures that will be above normal during May and June. The forecast says that the maximum temperatures can go up to 0.71 degrees Celsius over the normal Long Period Average (LPA).

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The utility has announced its power arrangements during the summer months which include long-term agreements from power plants like Maithon Power, NTPC Stations, and Delhi-based gas fuelled generating stations. Additionally, the company will also be receiving around 20 MW from Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), 180 MW from Sun Edison and around 50 MW from wind energy. The company had also exported power up to 200 MW to the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu during the winter of 2020 under banking arrangements and the same power shall now be returned by these states to Tata Power-DDL in the summer months of 2021. Additionally Renewable, Non-Solar, power has also been arranged from Himachal Pradesh. Any further requirements will be met through Power Exchange by the company.