During the first quarter (Q1) of financial year (FY) 2018-19, India’s power supply deficit declined to 0.6 percent, according to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).

During the three-month period of April – June 2018, 323,418 million units (MUs) of electricity were supplied against a demand of 325,428 MUs. This was a decrease of 2,009 MUs over the targeted energy requirement.

During the same period, against a peak demand of 171,973 MUs of electricity, 170,765 MUs were supplied. This was 1,208 MUs fewer than the required supply to meet the peak demand, resulting in a peak power supply deficit of 0.7 percent.

The power supply deficit and peak power deficit listed by regions is presented in the chart below:

During the first quarter (Q1) of 2018-19, the northeastern region faced the highest supply deficit of 4.1 percent, followed by northern region at 1.4 percent, eastern region at 0.7 percent, southern region at 0.2 percent, and western region at 0 percent.

In terms of peak supply deficit in Q1 2018-19, the northeastern region led with 3.6 percent, followed by the western region at 2.6 percent, northern region at 0.8 percent, southern region at 0.6 percent, and eastern region at 0.2 percent.

Mercom previously reported that India’s power supply deficit was 0.7 percent during financial year (FY) 2017-18, coming in roughly unchanged from the figures reported during financial year FY 2016-17.

Mercom reported earlier this year that solar was the leading source of power capacity additions during calendar year 2017, with installed capacity of approximately 9.5 GW accounting for 45 percent of total power capacity additions.

In the latest Load Generation Balance Report (LGBR), which studies the anticipated power supply position for FY 2018-19, Central Electricity Authority’s (CEA) is forecasting that India is likely to have a peak surplus of 2.5 percent and an energy surplus of 4.6 percent.