India's power consumption grows nearly 25% in first week of May

New Delhi: Power consumption in the country grew 25 per cent in the first week of May to 26.24 billion units (BU) over the same period last year, showing consistent recovery in industrial and commercial demand of electricity, according to power ministry data.

Power consumption in the first week of May 2020 was 21.05 BU. The power consumption in the entire month of May last year was 102.08 BU.

On the other hand, peak power demand met, which is the highest supply in a day, during the first week of this month remained well above the highest record of 166.22 GW in May 2020 except on May 2, when it was 161.14 GW.

During the first week of May this year, peak power demand met or the highest supply in a day touched the highest level of 168.78 GW (on May 6, 2021) and recorded a growth of nearly 22 per cent over 138.6 GW (peak met) recorded in the same period in 2020 (on May 7, 2020).

The power consumption in April grew 41 per cent to 119.27 BU. Power consumption in April 2020 had dropped to 84.55 BU from 110.11 BU in the same month in 2019, mainly because of fewer economic activities following the imposition of lockdown by the government in the last week of March 2020 to contain the spread of deadly COVID-19.

The power consumption also fell in May 2020 to 102.08 BU from 120.02 BU in May 2019.

Similarly, peak power demand met or the highest power supply in a day also slumped to 132.73 GW in April last year from 176.81 GW in the same month in 2019, showing the impact of lockdown on economic activities.

The fewer economic activities also resulted in a fall of peak power demand met in May 2020 to 166.22 GW from 182.53 GW in May 2019.

Experts are of the view that high growth in power consumption as well as demand in May this year is mainly due to base effect but the data shows recovery so far even as the second strong wave of COVID-19 forced authorities to impose local lockdowns to contain deadly virus across the country.

They have cautioned that local lockdowns may derail recovery in commercial and industrial power consumption and demand.

After a gap of six months, power consumption had recorded a 4.6 per cent year-on-year growth in September 2020 and 11.6 per cent in October 2020. In November 2020, the power consumption growth slowed to 3.12 per cent, mainly due to the early onset of winters. In December 2020, power consumption grew by 4.5 per cent while it was up 4.4 per cent in January 2021.

Power consumption in February this year recorded at 103.25 BU compared to 103.81 BU last year. But 2020 was a leap year.

In March this year, the power consumption grew nearly 22 per cent to 120.63 BU compared to 98.95 BU in the same month of 2020.

PTI