Power consumption grows 7.8% in first half of November

New Delhi: India's power consumption grew 7.8 per cent to 50.15 billion units (BU) in the first half of November this year, showing rise in economic activities, as per government data.

Power consumption in the country was recorded at 46.52 BU during November 1-15 last year, according to the power ministry data. For a full month in November last year, power consumption was 93.94 BU. Thus, the extrapolation of half-month data clearly indicates that power consumption may witness year-on-year growth for the third month in a row, according to experts. After a gap of six months, power consumption recorded a growth of 4.4 per cent in September this year at 112.24 BU compared to 107.51 BU in the same month last year. India's power consumption grew nearly 12 per cent to 109.53 billion units (BU) in October this year as against 97.84 BU in the same month last year.

The growth in power consumption in the first half of this month showed that there is consistency in improvement in commercial and industrial demand due to easing of lockdown restrictions, experts said. The government had imposed the nationwide lockdown on March 25 to contain the spread of Covid-19. Power consumption started declining from March onwards due to fewer economic activities in the country. The Covid-19 situation affected power consumption for six months in a row - from March to August this year. Power consumption on a year-on-year basis declined 8.7 per cent in March, 23.2 per cent in April, 14.9 per cent in May, 10.9 per cent in June, 3.7 per cent in July and 1.7 per cent in August.

The data showed that electricity consumption had grown by 11.73 per cent in February. It has shown an improvement post-lockdown easing for economic activities after April 20. Peak power demand met, the highest supply of power in the country in a day, in the first half of November was recorded at 160.77 GW (on November 3, 2020), 5.2 per cent higher than 152.77 GW on November 6, 2019.

The peak power demand in the month of November last year was 155.32GW. The peak power demand met in October was recorded at 170.04 GW, 3.52 per cent higher than 164.25 GW in the same month last year. Peak power demand in September this year recorded a growth of 1.7 per cent at 176.41 GW, compared to 173.45 GW a year ago, the data showed. Peak power demand met had recorded negative growth from April to August this year due to the pandemic.