New Delhi, June 1 : India's power consumption rose sharply by 11.55 per cent year-on-year (YoY) to 164.98 billion units (BU) in May 2026, driven by intense heatwave conditions that boosted the use of cooling appliances such as air conditioners and desert coolers across the country, according to official data.

The country's electricity consumption stood at 147.89 BU in May 2025, as per the data.

Peak power demand also scaled new heights during the month, touching an all-time record of 270.82 gigawatts (GW), compared with 230.99 GW recorded in the corresponding month last year.

The surge reflects the growing pressure on the power grid as households and businesses ramped up electricity usage to cope with extreme weather conditions.

Notably, peak power demand set fresh records on four consecutive days in May. It reached 257.37 GW on May 18, climbed to 260.45 GW on May 19, rose further to 265.44 GW on May 20, and hit a record 270.82 GW on May 21.

Prior to this, the highest demand recorded this year was 256.11 GW on April 25.

The latest figures surpass the previous all-time high of around 250 GW registered in May 2024.

The achievement also aligns closely with the Power Ministry's projection that peak electricity demand would touch 270 GW during the summer of 2026.

In comparison, the highest power demand recorded last summer was 242.77 GW in June 2025, which remained below the government's estimated peak requirement of 277 GW.

Industry experts expect power demand and consumption to remain elevated in the coming weeks, supported by forecasts of above-normal temperatures.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has projected a harsh summer this year -- indicating that electricity usage is likely to stay strong as consumers continue relying heavily on cooling equipment.

/IANS