Overview
- The national grid recorded a daytime peak of about 270.8 GW on Thursday, marking the fourth consecutive day of record highs after successive rises earlier in the week.
- The Power Ministry reported the peak was met using a mix led by thermal generation (about 62.8%) and substantial solar (around 22%), and said coal stocks and supplies were being monitored as adequate.
- Grid data and operators reported localized night-time outages and growing stress outside solar hours, highlighting that daytime solar surplus does not directly meet evening and overnight demand.
- Experts urged fast-tracking roughly 9.7 GW of planned battery and pumped-hydro storage, expanding time-of-day tariffs, and giving distribution companies better weather-linked forecasting tools to prevent future shortfalls.
- The heatwave driving demand is expected to persist across northwest and central India, raising public-health pressures and the risk of higher peaks if temperatures and cooling use continue to climb.