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India Hits Record 242.5 GW Power Demand, Energy Shortage Drops to 0.03%

India successfully met a record peak power demand of 242.49 gigawatts during the 2025-26 fiscal year. The national energy shortage has plummeted to a mere 0.03%, a dramatic improvement from 4.2% in 2013-14, driven by massive capacity additions. The country's total installed power generation capacity has more than doubled since 2014, reaching nearly 510 GW, with significant growth in renewable sources like solar and wind. Rural electricity availability has also seen major gains, increasing from 12.5 hours to 22.6 hours per day on average.

Key Points: India Meets Record Power Demand, Cuts Energy Shortage

  • Met record 242.49 GW demand
  • Energy shortage at historic 0.03%
  • Per capita power use up 52.6% since 2014
  • 178 GW renewable capacity added since 2014
2 min read

India met maximum power demand of 242.49 GW in FY26, energy shortages at historic low

India met a peak demand of 242.49 GW in FY26, with energy shortages falling to a historic low of 0.03% due to massive capacity additions.

"Per capita electricity consumption in India has surged to 1,460 kWh in 2024-25, marking a 52.6 per cent increase from 957 kWh in 2013-14 - Ministry of Power"

New Delhi, Jan 16

India successfully met the maximum power demand of 242.49 GW during FY 2025-26, the government said on Friday, adding that due to significant additions in generation and transmission capacities, energy shortages at the national level have reduced to a mere 0.03 per cent in FY 2025-26, a major improvement from 4.2 per cent in FY 2013-14.

The country's total installed power generation capacity has surged by 104.4 per cent, increasing from 249 GW as of March 31, 2014, to 509.743 GW as of November 30, 2025. Generation Capacity Addition during January-November 2025 is 55.57 GW, according to Ministry of Power.

"Per capita electricity consumption in India has surged to 1,460 kWh in 2024-25, marking a 52.6 per cent increase (503 kWh) from 957 kWh in 2013-14," the ministry said in a statement.

Moreover, the average availability of electricity in rural areas has increased from 12.5 hours in 2014 to 22.6 hours, while urban areas now enjoy up to 23.4 hours of power supply as compared to 22.1 hours in 2014, reflecting substantial improvements in the reliability and reach of electricity services.

Since April 2014, 178 GW of renewable energy capacity, including large hydro, has been added.

This includes 130 GW of solar power, 33 GW of wind power, 3.4 GW of biomass, 1.35 GW of small hydro, and approximately 9.9 GW of large hydro generation capacity, demonstrating India's strong commitment to clean energy, according to the government.

"To meet the projected electricity demand of India's rapidly expanding economy, 13.32 GW of new coal- based thermal capacity has been awarded in FY 2025-26 (till 30.11.2025)," said the statement.

Further, 7.21 GW capacity has been commissioned in FY 2025-26 (till 30.11.2025). The total installed capacity of coal and lignite-based thermal plants now stands at 226.23 GW. An additional 40.35 GW of capacity is under construction, with 7.03 GW expected to be commissioned in FY 2025-26.

A further 24.02 GW of capacity is in various stages of planning, clearances and bidding, said the government.

Moreover, India has the potential of Pump Storage Projects (PSPs) of about 258 GW with around 7 GW (2.7 per cent) developed so far. Government has set an ambitious target of adding 57 GW PSP capacity by 2031-32 out of which, 12 GW is under construction and rest is under development stage.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Great numbers on paper, but I hope this translates to stable power supply on the ground. In my area, we still face frequent voltage fluctuations and unexpected cuts, especially in summer.
R
Rohit P
Doubling the installed capacity in just over a decade is no small feat. The focus on solar and PSPs shows we are thinking long-term. Hope the transmission infrastructure keeps pace!
S
Sarah B
As someone who has lived in India for 5 years, the improvement in power reliability is noticeable. It's crucial for economic growth and quality of life. The renewable energy targets are ambitious and necessary.
K
Karthik V
While the coal capacity addition is needed for base load, I'm more excited about the 258 GW Pump Storage potential. That's the key to making solar and wind truly reliable. Hope we achieve the 57 GW target by 2032.
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Nisha Z
Per capita consumption increase shows more people are getting access and using appliances. But we must ensure this growth is inclusive and the bills remain affordable for the common man. 🪫➡️🔋
M
Michael C
Impressive statistics. The scale of India's energy transition is massive. The challenge will be integrating all this new capacity, both renewable and thermal, into a stable grid. The low energy shortage figure of

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