New Delhi: Several Indian states have sought additional electricity supplies from the federal government to avoid nighttime outages as power availability becomes tighter, according to two federal government officials.
Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, along with Delhi, are among those seeking additional supplies. The requests come as states face growing pressure to meet electricity demand after solar generation falls in the evening.
The federal government normally has about 14 to 15 gigawatts of electricity from coal and hydropower plants that can be allocated to states facing shortages. Much of that available capacity has already been allocated, leaving less flexibility to meet new requests.
One of the officials said meeting additional requests could require electricity to be withdrawn from other states. The situation highlights the growing pressure on India's power system even as the country continues to increase electricity generation.
India recorded a power shortage of about 560 million kilowatt hours in September, the highest monthly shortage since August 2023. The shortage came despite a strong increase in coal fired electricity generation.
Coal generation rose 13.3 percent from a year earlier in September. Overall electricity generation also increased, while renewable generation rose by 25.1 percent. However, the additional generation was not enough to prevent shortages during periods when demand was high and solar power was no longer available.
Hydropower has become a particular concern. Hydropower generation fell about 20 percent in September from a year earlier, reducing an important source of electricity that can help meet demand after sunset.
India has rapidly expanded solar power in recent years, but solar plants produce most of their electricity during daylight hours. Electricity demand remains high into the evening and night, creating a gap that must be met by sources such as coal, hydropower, gas and energy storage.
India is also facing pressure from limited coal stocks at some power plants. About 47 percent of coal fired power plants were reported to have critical fuel stocks, meaning their stocks were below a quarter of mandated supplies.
At the same time, nearly 41 gigawatts of generating capacity was offline, with some plants undergoing maintenance. The combination of strong demand, weaker hydropower and limited available generating capacity has added to pressure on the electricity system.
The situation has already affected consumers in some areas. Federal officials said some parts of Punjab experienced power outages of up to 14 hours a day in September. They said the federal government subsequently provided additional electricity to the state.
India's peak electricity demand reached about 269 gigawatts on September 10, the highest level recorded for September and close to the country's peak for the year.
The power ministry has also been pushing renewable energy producers to accelerate the integration of battery storage systems. Such systems can store electricity produced during periods of high renewable generation and release it when demand rises.
Energy storage is becoming increasingly important as India adds more solar and wind power. Without sufficient storage, large amounts of renewable electricity produced during the day cannot fully address shortages that occur after sunset.
The current situation does not indicate a nationwide electricity blackout or a collapse of India's power system. Instead, it shows that the balance between electricity supply and demand is becoming tighter at specific times, particularly during evening and nighttime hours.
For India, the challenge is increasingly about ensuring that electricity is available when it is needed, as well as producing enough electricity overall. The latest requests from states highlight the importance of reliable power supplies and faster development of energy storage as the country continues to expand renewable energy.