Indian states seek extra power as tighter night supply risks outages

Several Indian states, including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Delhi, are requesting additional power allocations from the federal government to prevent electricity outages, according to two government officials. Rajasthan and Gujarat, known for their renewable energy, have asked for extra supplies along with other states, as weaker hydropower output and maintenance at some plants have led to reduced electricity supply during the night.

The federal government usually has access to around 14 to 15 gigawatts of electricity from coal and hydropower plants that it can distribute to states during shortages. However, weaker hydropower generation due to an El Nino-related rainfall decline has tightened supplies available for redistribution, leaving the government with limited options.

The power shortage in September reached a record high of 560 million kilowatt-hours, driven by a 13.3% increase in coal-fired generation and a 20% drop in hydropower production. Many coal plants are undergoing maintenance, and there has been a decline in wind and hydropower generation, exacerbating the situation. The power ministry is encouraging renewable-energy producers to quickly integrate battery storage systems to utilize daytime solar electricity, but this is becoming increasingly costly for electricity buyers.