Rising temperatures drove 41% surge in peak power demand across India in 2023: Report

New Delhi: During the summer months of 2023, India’s demand for extreme power increased by 41 percent, Rising temperature And a new report of continuous heatwaves, climate trends has been received.
Increased demand led to an increase of 3 percent in fossil fuel consumption, with 2,853 million units of electricity generated from fossil sources, adding more than 2 million tonnes of carbon emissions, adding a research-based consultation and capacity-building initiative to focus on environment and climate issues, according to climate trends.
The study released on Monday has a direct connection between excessive heat and power consumption, especially in urban and rich areas where cooling devices are widely used. However, in rural areas, the demand was flat due to limited access to insufficient electrical infrastructure and cooling equipment.
The chief analyst of the study, Dr. Manish Ram said, “We are blaming the increase in power consumption for fully economic development, but our analysis shows that heatwaves are contributing significantly to the demand for peak power.”
Already recorded as the hottest since 1901 with February 2025, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted a warm summer summer, which can give more stress to the power grid, mirringing last year’s trend. In February, the demand for peak electricity alone reached 238 GW and is expected to move forward in March and April, as the temperature continues to rise.
Climate experts warned that the dependence on fossil fuels increased to meet the demand for electricity, leading to the impact of climate change. In climate trends, Associate Director Archana Chaudhary said, “The more fossil fuels we burn, the worse heatwaves we will get, we will create a vicious cycle of rising temperature and increase the demand for electricity.”
The report states immediate policy measures, including increasing renewable energy capacity, promoting energy-efficient equipment and improving access to electricity in rural areas.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has also flagged extreme weather events as a growing threat to global energy security, with similar trends in other countries.
As IMD estimates another scorching summer, India can see an increase in demand for energy, allowing energy infrastructure. Experts emphasized the need for immediate action to meet the demand for extreme power through cleaner energy sources and permanent solutions to reduce long -term climate risks.