Last year, the all-India peak electricity demand crossed 250 gigawatts (GW) on May 30, which was 6.3 per cent higher than projections. Climate change-induced heat stress is one of the key factors driving electricity demand.
The share of household electricity consumption increased from 22 per cent in 2012-13 to 25 per cent in 2022-23. Much of this rise can be attributed to economic growth and the increasing need for cooling due to rising temperatures, experts say.
In the summer of 2024, room air-conditioner sales surged by 40 to 50 per cent year-on-year amid record-breaking temperatures, Agarwal said.
Agarwal said India’s electricity consumption has been growing at about 9 per cent annually since 2020-21, compared to 5 per cent per year in the previous decade. The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) had estimated that electricity demand would grow at a rate of 6 per cent per year from 2022 to 2030.
