In a sign of recovering industrial and commercial activity, India's power consumption in October so far registered a double-digit growth after months of subdued activity on account of the lockdown to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Power consumption grew 11.45% to 55.37 billion units in the first half of October compared with the same month last year, mainly driven by buoyancy in industrial and commercial activities, as per government data.
For a full month in October last year, power consumption was 97.84 BU.
If the current rate of consumption continues in the second half of the month, India could record its first double-digit growth in power consumption since the lockdown was first announced in March.
Power consumption on year-on-year basis declined 8.7% in March, 23.2% in April, 14.9 % in May, 10.9% in June, 3.7% in July and 1.7% in August.
The government had imposed nationwide lockdown on March 25 to contain the spread of Covid-19.
After a gap of six months, power consumption recorded a growth of 4.6% in September this year at 112.43 BU.
Earlier this month, Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister RK Singh said, “In September, our power demand was higher than September 2019. So the growth started again. Despite the fact that Covid problem lingers, the growth in our power consumption and demand has started.”
Peak power demand met, the highest supply of power in the country in a day, during Oct. 1-15 was recorded at 170.04 GW.
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