Power consumption rises 1.3% in December

New Delhi: India's power consumption grew by 1.3 per cent in the first ten days of this month from December 1 to 10 to 34.23 billion units (BU) over the same period a year ago, according to power ministry data.

In 2020, power consumption was 33.78 BU during December 1 to 10. In the entire month of December 2020, consumption was 105.62 BU, up from 101.08 BU in December 2019. Experts are of the view that power consumption as well as demand would grow at a steady pace in December with improvement in economic activities across the country. During the first 10 days of December this year, the peak power demand met or the highest supply in a day, touched 169.12 Gigawatt (GW) compared to 165.42 GW in the same period in 2020.

The peak power demand met in December 2020 was 182.78 GW up from 170.49 GW in December 2019. In November this year, the power consumption grew by 2.6 per cent to 99.37 BU. Last year in November, power consumption stood at 96.88 BU and in the same month in 2019, it was at 93.94 BU.

India's power consumption had grown by 3.3 per cent in October this year to 112.79 BU compared to 109.17 BU in the same month last year. Many states had imposed lockdown restrictions after the second wave of the pandemic hit the nation in April this year and affected the recovery in commercial and industrial power demand as states started imposing restrictions in the latter part of the month.

Curbs were gradually lifted as the number of Covid cases fell. Power consumption witnessed 6.6 per cent year-on-year growth in May this year at 108.80 BU, despite a low base of 102.08 BU in the same month of 2020. In June, it grew nearly 9 per cent to 114.48 BU, compared to 105.08 BU in the same month last year.

In July, it rose to 123.72 BU from 112.14 BU in the same month a year ago. In August this year, power consumption grew by over 17 per cent at 127.88 BU compared to 109.21 BU in the same month in 2020. Power consumption in September this year witnessed subdued recovery with almost flat growth at 112.43 BU mainly due to delayed monsoon (heavy rains). In September last year, power consumption was 112.24 BU.

Barometer of Stable Growth

BU: Billion units