Indian States Seek Extra Power as Nighttime Supply Tightens
Several Indian states are seeking additional electricity allocations from the federal government to prevent power outages as nighttime supply tightens. Weak hydropower generation and maintenance shutdowns at some power plants have reduced available electricity. Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Delhi are among those seeking additional supplies.
India’s power shortage reached 560 million kilowatt-hours in September, the highest level since August 2023, despite a 13.3% year-on-year rise in coal-fired generation. Hydropower generation fell 20% from a year earlier, while nearly 41 GW of power plants were offline. About 47% of coal-fired plants were also reported to have critical fuel stocks.
The shortage highlights challenges in meeting electricity demand after sunset, despite India’s rapid expansion of renewable energy. Limited battery storage makes it difficult to shift excess daytime solar power to evening and nighttime hours. The government is encouraging renewable-energy producers to accelerate battery storage integration, while states face higher costs for purchasing electricity through power exchanges.
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