India's energy shortage decreased in the midst of a record heatwave. Here’s how
India Today
A combination of a slight dip in maximum demand and a rise in output from the renewable sector ensured that, at the aggregate level, the country’s energy shortage dropped considerably in the last 15 days.
Power outages, sometimes frequent ones in certain pockets, may still be a reality even as parts of northwest and central India are in the midst of a record heatwave.
However, a combination of a slight dip in maximum demand and a rise in output from the renewable sector when it mattered ensured that, at the aggregate level, the country’s energy shortage dropped considerably in the last 15 days.
On April 29, India’s energy shortage touched a high of 214 million units. That was also the day when the maximum power demand touched the highest ever level of 2,07,111 megawatt. The previous high was about 7,100 MW less than that — it was in the first week of July 2021.
There were reports of power cuts and thermal plants battling coal shortages the same day. To facilitate the rising demand for coal, the Indian Railways had to cancel many passenger trains in coal-producing areas to ensure the movement of additional coal-carrying rakes.
Data available at Power System Operation Corporation shows that states like Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Bihar faced significant energy shortages on April 29. Rajasthan’s energy shortage on that day stood at a whopping 53 million units.
The latest numbers available for May 11, however, show that most of the states have totally wiped out the energy deficit. The power shortage in Rajasthan, the epicenter of an intense heatwave now, has come down to just 0.7 million units. Punjab and Haryana have no shortages, while Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh have marginal energy shortages, aggregate level data show.
What would have helped in tiding over the deficit is a slight reduction in maximum demand: a five per cent drop on May 11 compared to the peak demand on April 29.
