New Delhi: With peak summer approaching and El Nino in sight, India is preparing to meet rising power demand through its traditional coal-powered thermal plants and newly augmented solar capacity.
The country scaled a peak demand of 256.1 gigawatts on April 25. On that day, thermal plants retained their dominant position, accounting for 66.9% of generation, while solar power strengthened its share to 21.5%.
The increased reliance on solar comes after India added a record 44.61 gigawatts of solar capacity in fiscal year 2025–26 — more than double what it added in the preceding fiscal. The surge in installations has expanded the role of renewables in the grid during daylight hours.
However, with temperatures expected to climb further and El Nino likely to intensify heatwave conditions, the Centre expects coal-based plants to remain the backbone of supply, especially during evening peak hours when solar output drops.
Power sector officials say the combination of record solar additions and steady thermal output will be critical to avoiding shortages. Grid managers are banking on augmented solar to handle daytime loads while coal plants cover baseload and peak evening demand.
As summer intensifies, the balance between coal and solar will determine how India weathers the season’s energy stress.
