India’s power supply deficit narrowed down to 0.3% between April and December 2020, while its peak power deficit slipped to 0.6%, according to data from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA). India’s power supply and peak power deficits stood at 0.5% and 0.7% during the same period in 2019.

During the nine months, the country supplied 937.5 billion units (BU) of energy against a demand of 940.7 BU, a 3.17 BU or 0.3% shortfall. India met 184,033 MW of peak power demand with 182,888 MW – a 1,145 MW or 0.6% deficit.

The northeastern region continued to have the highest power supply deficit in the country at 2.6%. However, this was lower than the deficit (4.1%) during the same period last year. The region also had the highest peak power deficit in the country at 5.7%, up from 3.7% last year.

The region supplied 12.6 BU of energy against a demand of 12.9 BU between April and  December. In terms of peak power deficit, the region met 3,294 MW of peak demand with 3,107 MW of power.

The western region – comprising Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Goa – completely met 279.8 BU of energy demand and 61,198 MW of peak demand during the period.

Similarly, the southern region- comprising Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Lakshadweep – also met energy demand of 233.3 BU and peak power demand of 49,556 MW in their entirety. In the same period last year, the region only had a peak deficit of 0.2%. The northern region supplied 302 BU of energy against its requirement of 304.5 BU, representing a 2.5 BU or 0.8% deficit. In terms of peak power demand, the region met 68,288 MW of demand with 67,806 MW – a 0.7% or 482 MW deficit.

On January 22, 2021, a new record was set when power demand touched 1,87,300 MW in the country, breaching the 1,85,820 MW registered on January 20.

Union minister of power RK Singh tweeted, “A fresh record has been created in power demand breaching the previous record of 1,85,820 MW, which was created on January 20, 2021. Today the power demand touched 1,87,300 MW at 10:28 am. This again underscores the growing strength of our economy.”

India’s power supply deficit narrowed to 0.3% in the first half of the financial year 2020-2021, according to the CEA’s data. The deficit was an improvement from the same period last year when it was 0.5%.