India's highest electricity demand was recorded in June this year, largely due to increased use of air conditioning to cope with the extreme heat, according to data from India's Ministry of Power.
On June 9, India's electricity demand reached 223.3 GW, a 3.4% increase from the year-ago highest level. The second quarter of the year is the hottest period in India, and on some days, the peak electricity load exceeded last year.
India's coal supply load was eased due to lower temperatures in certain parts of the country, and the peak demand in June was lower than the Ministry of Power's projected peak of 229 GW.
Additionally, record coal production in India has supported power plant coal stocks, which increased by 30% compared to the same period last year. The coal inventory was sufficient for 13 days of use. Despite still below the ideal level, it was enough to avoid large-scale outages.
The monsoon season from June to September normally brings dropped temperature and increased hydroelectric production. However, heavy rains often lead to flooding in coal mines, impacting the production and transportation of coal, which is the primary source of electricity in India, accounting for about 75% of its total power generation.
In 2021, continuous rainfall and an unexpected rebound in electricity demand after the pandemic resulted in power plants facing a shortage of critical fuel, leading to one of the country's most severe energy crises.
(Writing by Riley Liang Editing by Harry Huo)
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