Gujarat’s electricity demand reached an all-time high of 29,822 MW on 16 October, according to a wire report by IANS carried by Punjab Kesari English. Gujarat Samachar’s English edition also reports the same figure. Records are normally a summer story. This one arrived in mid-October, when the state’s grid is usually easing.
How the record built up
The 2026 peak has been climbing in steps. DeshGujarat reported a then-record of about 29,000 MW at the end of June, and 29,601 MW on 7 September. At the end of September it reported demand jumping about 2,400 MW in a day as farmers pulled more power for irrigation, with the state buying small volumes on the exchange at Rs 10 a unit. The October figure is a further 221 MW above the September mark.
Per the IANS report, which cites the state Energy and Petrochemicals Department, demand in September and October is running roughly 12 per cent (about 4,000 MW) above earlier years. It lists the drivers as high temperatures despite a weak monsoon, farm load peaking around 12,000 MW, festive-season industrial use before Diwali, lower hydropower from thin rainfall, and weak winds.
Why the evening hours matter most
Gujarat has built a large solar fleet, and that helps in daylight. The pinch comes between 5 pm and 11 pm, when solar output falls to zero and coal and gas plants must cover the gap. That is also when households switch on lights, fans and appliances. The state’s stated response is to shift farm supply into daytime hours, so that more of the roughly 12,000 MW of daytime solar is used, and to ask residents to limit avoidable use in the evening window.
What the state says it is arranging
As reported by IANS, Energy Minister Rushikesh Patel and Minister of State Kaushik Vekariya reviewed the situation with officials and power companies in Gandhinagar. The measures listed include:
- Coal: the Union Coal Ministry has assured 10 to 11 rakes a day until November, rising to 13 to 14 rakes after that.
- Short-term purchases: 2,990 MW contracted for October, 1,740 MW for November and 1,335 MW for December.
- Battery storage: 192 MW operating, contracts finalised for 2,742 MW, and 500 MW expected by March 2027.
- Long term: an agreement with NPCIL for a 4,200 MW nuclear project whose first unit is expected in 2032, plus an 800 MW Ukai thermal unit targeted for September 2029.
The state’s position, as reported, is that supply is adequate and demand should ease as the weather changes.
What is not confirmed
Gujarat Samachar reports that distribution companies have staggered or cut supply in industrial clusters such as Sanand and Dahej, and that small manufacturers are worried about disrupted production lines. That article does not name the source for those claims, and the IANS account of the state review does not mention industrial cuts. Readers and businesses in those belts should treat the claim as unverified until the utilities or the state say more. The two outlets also differ on daily consumption figures, so we have not used either.
What it means for residents and businesses
- Expect appeals to cut evening use. They are voluntary for now.
- Farmers are exposed in both directions: a dry spell raises irrigation need just as the grid is tightest, so any shift to daytime supply schedules affects pumping plans.
- Industry faces the larger risk if short-term purchases get costlier. Exchange prices have been reported at Rs 10 a unit in September.
What to watch
Three things decide how long this lasts: whether rain or cooler weather arrives before Diwali, whether coal rake supply rises to the promised 13 to 14 a day in November, and whether the next peak, or a published list of curtailed feeders, shows up in official data. The storage and nuclear numbers matter for the end of the decade, not this winter.
Sources: IANS via Punjab Kesari English, Gujarat Samachar (English), DeshGujarat (11 Sept), DeshGujarat (30 Sept)
This report was compiled and written with AI assistance from publicly reported sources, and reviewed for accuracy.