Gujarat has asked factories to reduce electricity use during evening hours as rising demand and low coal inventories at power plants put pressure on the country’s power supply. The state has urged industries to shift production away from the peak period voluntarily and asked residents to conserve electricity.

India is facing difficulty meeting evening demand because it has limited battery capacity to store clean power generated during the day. Hotter weather associated with El Niño, higher irrigation requirements and increased industrial activity have contributed to stronger consumption.

The appeal from Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state, comes as about half of India’s 191 coal-fired power plants have critically low coal stocks, according to data from the Central Electricity Authority. Uttar Gujarat Vij Company has sent text messages to industries and citizens asking them to conserve power between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. local time.

Gujarat has also requested additional coal and electricity supplies from the federal government. It is planning new coal, nuclear and battery-storage projects to support future demand, although the immediate appeal is focused on reducing pressure during the evening peak.

Several states, including Gujarat, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh, are seeking short-term coal-based electricity through tenders, according to power ministry data. Total coal inventories at power plants have declined about 5 per cent since the start of October.

Daily peak electricity demand has been 45 GW to 50 GW higher than a year earlier. The gap between electricity demand and supply widened to 560 mn kWh last month, the highest level since August 2023, government data showed.