NEWS: India witnessed record electricity demand (256 GW on April 25, 2026) due to early & intense heatwaves.

Record Demand Surge

• Peak demand: 256 GW (April 25, 2026)
• Shortfall: ~4.2 GW at night (10:39 PM)
• Previous day: Demand: 240 GW, Shortfall: 5.4 GW (highest recorded)
• Daytime demand fully met → problem is night-time supply gap
• Grid is strong during solar hours but weak after sunset

The Solar Paradox

• India has ~150 GW solar capacity
• Causes “duck curve” effect: Day: surplus electricity, Evening: sharp fall in supply + rising demand
• Night supply depends on: Coal, Gas, Hydro, Nuclear, Wind

Why Coal Plants Failed?

• Extreme heat → thermal stress → reduced efficiency & outages

2025–26 Unique

• Peak demand usually in June–July / Sept–Oct
• Now shifted to April → due to early heatwaves
• Demand jump: April 2025: 235 GW, April 2026: 256 GW

Key Challenges

• Evening demand spike + zero solar supply
• Coal plant unreliability during heatwaves
• No large-scale battery storage
• Early heatwaves → planning challenges
• Extreme price volatility (₹1.5–₹10/kWh)

Way Forward

• Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) → store daytime solar
• Demand-side management → shift usage away from 6–10 PM
• Thermal resilience → heat-proofing + maintenance
• Pumped Storage Hydro → large-scale storage
• Gas-based plants revival for peak support
• Transmission expansion → better power distribution

Conclusion

• Crisis highlights a structural issue in energy transition
• India strong in renewables, weak in: Storage, Thermal reliability, Grid management