India’s Power Use Sees Slowest Growth In Years on Cooler Weather

India’s electricity consumption in the fiscal year through March grew at the slowest pace in six years, after a mild summer reduced the use of air conditioners and copious rains curbed demand for farm irrigation.Author of the article:You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.(Bloomberg) — India’s electricity consumption in the fiscal year through March grew at the slowest pace in six years, after a mild summer reduced the use of air conditioners and copious rains curbed demand for farm irrigation. Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Energy supplied by state power retailers during the year rose almost 1%, the worst performance since 2021 when electricity use declined due to the pandemic, according to data from the power ministry’s Central Electricity Authority. The past fiscal year also saw the first annual decline in peak power demand in at least two decades.While cool weather alleviates the extreme heat typical of Indian summers, providing relief to outdoor workers and farmers in particular, it forces power plants to ramp down operations and slowdown purchases of coal, causing a surge in stockpiles at mines.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.India’s power consumption growth is historically tied to the weather, with summer heat waves being the biggest driver. Now, electrification is creating new demand avenues, such as the use of electric heaters during winter. “As cooling needs have contributed significantly to India’s demand growth in the past five years, the impact of a milder summer could be meaningful even if the economic activities stay intact,” said Anish Mandal, a partner with Deloitte South Asia who leads new energy and energy transition at the company.To be sure, the power ministry data only captures supplies from state retailers, which account for about 80% of the country’s last-mile connections. Growing installations of rooftop and off-grid solar systems, together constituting about 31 gigawatts capacity, are shrinking the market served by regional utilities. Electricity demand is expected to rise more sharply this year on expectations of a hotter summer. Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4© 2026 Financial Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited.This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.You can manage saved articles in your account.and save up to 100 articles!You can manage your saved articles in your account and clicking the X located at the bottom right of the article.