How demand for power dipped as lockdown was extended

Coal-based generation came down by 24 per cent YoY. Coal stocks remained high. Conventional generation decreased 18.2 per cent YoY in May '20. This is a reflection of lower demand from industrial and commercial consumers, given the extension of the nationwide lockdown, implemented in the wake of COVID-19.
Story: Shivani Sharma
Design: Mohsin Shaikh

Including Renewable Energy, total generation was down 16 per cent YoY. RE generation grew 5 per cent YoY, largely reflecting the benefit of the must-run status. Within RE, Solar generation was up 19 per cent YoY, while Wind generation declined 9 per cent YoY.

Conventional generation decreased 18.2 per cent YoY in May'20. This is a reflection of lower demand from industrial and commercial consumers given the continuation of the nationwide lockdown implemented in the wake of COVID-19. The slump in demand was broad based and was witnessed across states.

RE generation grew 5 per cent YoY, largely reflecting the benefit of the must-run status. Within RE, Solar generation was up 19 per cent YoY, while Wind gen declined 9 per cent YoY.

Generation in the private sector was down ~19.5 per cent YoY. Also, central and state sectors witnessed ~11.6 per cent and ~24.2 per cent decline, respectively. The peak demand for power was reduced to 166 GW in May 2020.

Coal receipts for the Power sector decreased ~23 per cent YoY to 42.5 mt in Apr '20. Coal consumption by the Power sector declined ~31 per cent YoY to 38 mt in Apr '20. Coal stocks at power plants stood at 29 days of consumption in May '20.

Electricity demand in the northern region in the month of May 2020, dropped by 27 per cent and 21 per cent in YTD FY21.

Electricity demand in western region in the month of May 2020, dropped by 12.5 per cent and 18 per cent in YTD FY21.

Electricity demand in the southern region in the month of May 2020, dropped by 12.5 per cent and 18 per cent in YTD FY21. Southern region includes Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, and Andaman.

Eastern regions like Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya have the lowest growth of electricity demand in India. It dropped by 22.8 per cent till June 20 from this fiscal and also dropped by 21 per cent YoY in the month of May.