22.75% Drop in Power Consumption in April due to Lockdown

Power consumption in April dipped 22.75% to 85.05 BU compared to 110.11 BU in the same month a year ago, mainly due to low demand due to lockdown

Power consumption in April dipped 22.75 percent to 85.05 billion units (BU) compared to 110.11 BU in the same month a year ago, mainly due to low demand amid the nationwide lockdown to combat COVID-19.

The government had imposed lockdown starting March 25, 2020, to help curb the spread of the virus. A direct consequence of which has been the lower commercial and industrial demand in the month of April.

According to power ministry data, the total electricity consumption was 85.05 billion units in April this year. The data showed that India’s power consumption was 110.11 BU in the corresponding month last year.

The peak power demand met in April stood at 132.77 GW, almost one-fourth less than 176.81 GW in the same month a year earlier. In April, the peak power demand met crossed the 130 GW mark on April 24 (130.02GW), April 29 (131.13GW) and April 30 (132.77GW), the NLDC data showed. The power demand during April ranged between 116.89 GW (April 8) to 132.77 GW (April 30).

Besides, lower commercial and industrial demand, the relatively cool weather during April this year played spoilsport. The temperature remained below 40-degree celsius even in the second half of the month. The cool weather kept the power demand low despite the partial easing of the lockdown from April 20, 2020. The government had allowed certain economic activities, particularly in the rural areas and non-containment zones.

However, as we had previously reported the peak power demand in India has remained low at 134.7 GW, being down by over 26 percent so far in May. And that the low demand has been prevalent even after the easing of the nationwide lockdown to control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. According to power ministry data, the peak power demand in May last year stood at 182.53 GW. The peak power demand met was 131.40 GW on May 1 and 134.70 GW on May 2, 2020.

In a new report, the International Energy Agency (IEA) had recently revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic represents the biggest shock to the global energy system in more than seven decades, with the drop in demand this year set to dwarf the impact of the 2008 financial crisis and result in a record annual decline in carbon emissions of almost 8 percent. The report has projected that the global energy demand will fall 6 percent in 2020 – seven times the decline after the 2008 global financial crisis. In absolute terms, the decline is unprecedented – the equivalent of losing the entire energy demand of India, the world’s third-largest energy consumer.