India battles power cuts as heatwave boosts electricity demand to record
GS3Economy · S&T · Environment · Security· Nuclear & new energy technology· Prelims + Mains·
Why in news
India is facing significant power cuts as record-breaking heatwaves have pushed electricity demand to a record high of over 270 gigawatts.
Background
The national regulator, Grid-India, reported a peak deficit of 2.57 gigawatts on a Thursday evening. Outages in areas like Chennai have lasted between 40 minutes and one hour.
Facts for Prelims
- FactRecord electricity demand in India exceeded 270 gigawatts during the heatwave.
- FactGrid-India reported a peak power deficit of 2.57 gigawatts.
- BodyGrid-India is the national regulator for power grid management.
For Mains
Q. Discuss the challenges of balancing peak electricity demand during extreme weather events and the role of battery storage in stabilizing the national grid.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Intermittency gap: Difficulty in managing surplus solar energy during the day versus high nighttime demand
- Infrastructure strain: Grid stability issues caused by rapid demand spikes during extreme heatwaves
- Storage bottleneck: Need for accelerated battery storage development to mitigate peak load deficits
Keywords: Peak Demand · Grid Stability · Energy Conservation · Battery Storage · Renewable Integration
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