India's evening power supply gap widened to 3,045 MW in June, as peak electricity demand rose around 12% year-on-year during the April-June quarter and touched a record 270.8 GW in May, according to Business-Today. The shortfall in non-solar hours was significantly higher than the gaps recorded in April and May, indicating mounting pressure on India's power grid during the summer months.
Evening supply gap widens through the quarter
Business-Today reported that during June, peak electricity demand during non-solar hours stood at 255,172 MW, while supply met was 252,127 MW, leaving a shortfall of 3,045 MW. The gap rose steadily across the quarter:
| Month | Shortfall (MW) |
|---|---|
| April | 1,225 |
| May | 1,326 |
| June | 3,045 |
Regional and state-level strain
The northern region accounted for the largest share of the June shortfall. Its evening peak demand was 95,919 MW, while only 93,269 MW was met, leaving a gap of 2,650 MW, according to Business-Today. State-level data for May also showed deficits:
- Bihar: evening peak demand reached 8,702 MW, with supply met at 7,784 MW.
- Maharashtra: demand of 32,193 MW against supply of 31,338 MW.
- Punjab: evening peak demand of 12,812 MW, against 12,352 MW met.
El Nino and transmission constraints drive the gap
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, minister of state for power Shripad Naik said the development of El Nino conditions had led to a significant increase in electricity requirements. Business-Today cited the minister's statement:
"During April to June 2026, overall rise in electricity peak demand was around 12% as compared to corresponding period last year."
The government attributed the gap between electricity requirement and supply mainly to constraints in state transmission and distribution networks, according to Business-Today.
Generation mix: thermal share declines, renewables rise
Thermal power continued to account for the bulk of electricity generation during the three summer months, although its share declined through the period, Business-Today reported. The share of renewable energy, including large hydro, moved in the opposite direction.
| Month | Thermal share (%) | Renewable + large hydro share (%) |
|---|---|---|
| April | 72.71 | 24.13 |
| May | 69.90 | Not specified |
| June | 68.39 | 28.11 |
Adequate capacity but storage needed
Despite the supply gaps, the government said the country had adequate power availability. India's installed generation capacity had reached 548.86 GW as of June 2026, with 324.7 GW of capacity added since April 2014, according to Business-Today. The government stated that "at present, there is no particular challenge in managing peak demand with fossil fuel resources supplemented by renewable resources." However, it added that renewable energy would have to be backed by storage systems at an "exponential rate" over the medium to long term. The government's projections envisage the addition of about 39.88 GW of battery energy storage capacity and 10.95 GW of pumped-storage capacity between FY2027-28 and FY2029-30.
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