According to the Ministry of Power (MoP), India has recorded and met its highest-ever peak electricity demand of 256.1 GW on April 25, 2026 without any supply shortfall. It also continued exporting electricity to neighbouring countries during this period.
The new peak is higher than the earlier record of 250 GW achieved on May 30, 2024, and also above the peak of 245.4 GW recorded on January 9, 2026 in the last financial year (FY). The increase in demand is mainly due to rising summer temperatures. Electricity consumption grew by about 8.9 per cent in April 2026 (till April 27, 2026) compared to the same period last year. Around 65 GW of new capacity was added in FY 2025-26, which has helped improve supply and system readiness during high-demand periods. Based on this, the system is expected to handle demand of around 270 GW in 2026.
Earlier in January 2026, the MoP released a draft of the National Electricity Policy (NEP) 2026, which aims to guide changes in the power sector and replace the existing NEP.
| Record | Peak demand (GW) | Date |
| Highest-ever peak (current record) | 256.1 | April 25, 2026 |
| Previous all-time high | 250.0 | May 30, 2024 |
| FY 2025-26 winter peak | 245.4 | January 9, 2026 |
Source: MoP
