India’s peak electricity demand has started to decline as temperatures fall below normal after widespread rains in the northern region. The easing in demand has provided some relief to the power system, although coal availability at thermal power stations remains a significant concern.

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA), in its latest report dated September 27, classified 82 of the 190 monitored power plants as critical. These plants have a combined capacity of 224.52 GW, highlighting the scale of the coal inventory pressure across the monitored thermal generation fleet.

A plant is classified as critical when its coal stock falls below 25 per cent of the normative requirement. The requirement is calculated at an 85 per cent plant load factor, which provides the benchmark used to assess whether available fuel stocks are sufficient for normal generation needs.

National peak demand reached 269.06 GW on September 10, its highest level during the period covered by the report, before falling to 218.82 GW on Sunday. The decline has coincided with cooler weather and continuing rainfall in parts of northern India, reducing the immediate pressure created by high electricity consumption.

Grid India’s forecast for the coming week places maximum demand between 252 GW and 257 GW on Tuesday. It projects demand easing further to between 230 GW and 235 GW by October 4, although the condition of coal stocks at thermal plants remains an important factor for supply stability.

The demand outlook indicates that weather conditions are currently moderating the country’s power requirement. However, the number of plants in the critical category means that fuel availability will continue to require close monitoring, particularly if demand rises again or weather conditions change. The CEA’s assessment covers monitored plants and their combined capacity, providing an indication of the continuing gap between operational requirements and coal inventories at several stations.