According to Grid India data, electricity consumption reached 165 billion units (BU) in May 2026, compared with 148.7 BU during the corresponding month last year. Consumption also increased by more than 7 percent compared with April 2026, when 154 BU of electricity was consumed.
The surge in demand was primarily attributed to persistent hot weather conditions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the number of heatwave days during the second half of May was higher than in previous years, leading to a significant increase in electricity demand nationwide.
Power demand began rising sharply from May 11 and exceeded the previous all-time high for four consecutive days. The country's peak electricity demand reached a record 270.8 gigawatts (GW) on May 21. However, demand gradually declined during the latter part of the month. Prior to May, the highest power demand ever recorded in India was 256.1 GW on April 25.
Data further showed that peak electricity demand crossed the 250 GW mark on 10 separate days during May, underscoring the intensity of power requirements during the extreme weather period. In contrast, relatively subdued weather conditions had kept electricity demand under control during May 2025, when consumption exceeded the 230 GW level only twice throughout the month.
The peak power demand in May 2025 stood at 231 GW, while the highest demand during that season was recorded at 242.7 GW in June 2025. Total electricity consumption in June 2025 was 150 BU.
The latest figures highlight the growing impact of extreme weather conditions on India's power sector, with rising temperatures continuing to push electricity consumption and peak demand to unprecedented levels across the country.
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