Grid bottleneck: India forced to switch off enough solar power to run 1.4 million homes

India recorded 8.1 TWh of solar power curtailment, equivalent to the annual electricity use of nearly 1.4 million households, during the peak summer months of April-June 2026, Parliament was informed on Tuesday.

Total curtailment in Q1FY27 stood at 8.1 TWh (TWh is terawatt-hour that equals to 1 billion kWh), with the highest level reported in May at 3.2 TWh, followed by 2.3 TWh each in April and June 2026.

Curtailment refers to the forced reduction of electricity generation when the grid is unable to absorb the power being produced.
Replying to a question in Parliament, Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy and Power Shripad Yesso Naik said renewable energy curtailment is implemented to ensure reliable and secure operation of the grid.

“As per information received from Grid Controller of India Limited, solar power curtailment and restrictions are being carried out to maintain grid security and due to a mismatch between the commissioning of transmission lines and RE projects,” Naik said.

India’s peak power demand reached a record 270.82 GW on May 21, 2026, driven by intense heatwave conditions and high cooling appliance usage.

The issue is linked to India’s coal fleet. Coal plants are required to operate above a minimum technical load of 55%, limiting how much they can reduce output during sunny hours.

When solar output peaks but electricity demand dips because of milder weather, coal plants remain online to meet evening demand, forcing grid operators to curtail solar generation.

This puts pressure on grid infrastructure, while delays in evacuation infrastructure have prompted many solar power generators to slow the commissioning of new capacity.