India’s July electricity consumption hit a new peak of 171 billion units, with increased cooling needs and weather extremes prompting a surge in power use, according to Crisil report.
India’s electricity demand jumped 10.9% year on year in July to about 171 billion units, setting a monthly record as hotter weather and weak monsoon rainfall lifted use of cooling equipment, according to a Crisil Intelligence report published on Tuesday. The month also delivered the second-highest peak load on record, at 270 gigawatts, underscoring how sharply power needs can swing with the weather. Crisil said July demand was far stronger than the same month a year earlier, when growth had been far more subdued.
The latest numbers fit a broader pattern seen through this year. Crisil had reported in June 2025 that demand fell for a second straight month because above-normal rainfall eased temperatures across most of the country, while southern India still saw gains because of local rainfall shortages. By contrast, its February 2026 analysis said a cold wave had pushed January demand higher, showing that both extremes of weather have become key drivers of electricity use.
Rainfall shortfalls in July were not evenly spread. Crisil said India received 15% less rain than normal between June 1 and July 29, with especially sharp deficits in the south. The report linked those conditions to stronger electricity use in states such as Karnataka and Rajasthan. Power generation rose 10% in July to 182 billion units, with coal-fired output up 15% and its share of total generation rising to 64%, while hydropower fell about 14% because of weaker rainfall.
Looking ahead, Crisil expects demand to rise 6.5% to 7.5% in the current fiscal year to 1,825-1,835 billion units, driven by higher cooling needs if temperatures stay elevated and rainfall remains uneven. The forecast broadly matches other recent estimates, including one from NationPress that pointed to demand of 1,810-1,830 billion units in fiscal 2027, while industry reporting in July said India had already met a record peak demand of around 270.8 gigawatts without shortages.
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