India's Electricity Output Falls Steeply In First Half Of June: Report

India's electricity generation during the first half of June fell at a slightly faster rate than in May, provisional government data showed, driven by lower consumption in states hit hardest by the coronavirus outbreak.

Power generation fell 14.5 per cent in the first 15 days of June, a Reuters analysis of daily load despatch data from central grid operator POSOCO showed, compared with a 14.3 per cent fall in May.

While power use has picked up from previous months when India was under a strict lockdown, electricity demand - which is impacted by seasonal changes - has been lower when compared with the same periods from the previous year.

Electricity use by the industrial states of Maharashtra and Gujarat - the top electricity consuming states in the country - fell over 24 per cent each, compared with declines of 13.8 per cent and 18.9 per cent in May. Consumption in Delhi fell nearly 30 per cent, a steeper fall than the 26.8 per cent decline in May.

Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi - which are among the most industrialised regions in the country - account for nearly three-fourths of all deaths in India, according to government data.

Industries and offices together account for over half of India's annual power consumption.

However, Tamil Nadu, the country's auto manufacturing hub, registered a 8.5 per cent fall in power use, compared with a 15.3 per cent decline in May.

Electricity use in the state is slated to fall in the coming days as it has imposed a strict lockdown in and around Chennai from Friday until the end of June.

Power generation from coal continued to fall in June. Coal's contribution to overall electricity generation in May fell to 61.9 per cent, compared with 64.2 per cent.

India's hydro power supply grew at coal's expense - rising 14.4 per cent, compared with 3.6 per cent growth in May. Solar-powered electricity output growth slowed to 2.3 per cent, while gas-fired power output was over 15 per cent, the data showed. Wind-powered electricity production fell 10.2 per cent.