Hydropower generation in India fell 12% below projections in the first half of FY27, the power ministry said on Tuesday, a drop blamed on an El Nino‑induced rain deficit that left reservoirs 13% short of expected inflows.
The resulting 560‑million‑unit deficit in September was the largest since May, when peak demand hit 269 GW, forcing coal plants to crank up output and causing widespread load shedding during non‑solar hours.
Charith Konda, lead energy specialist at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, warned that the missing hydro output leaves coal units under strain and exposes gaps in the distribution grid. “When hydropower falls, there is more stress on coal power and there are shortages,” Konda said.
Disha Aggarwal of the Council on Energy, Environment and Water called for a heat‑resilient grid and smarter demand shifting. “India needs a heat‑resilient, flexible grid…discoms must plan locally for heat risk by using AI to combine feeder, transformer and meter data with local weather forecasts,” she said.
Amit Manohar of the Indian Solar Manufacturers Association urged rapid deployment of solar‑plus‑storage systems to cover evening peaks, while Rohit Bajaj of the Indian Energy Exchange said the ministry is monitoring fuel supplies at coal units and has taken steps to ensure availability.
The ministry will review storage incentives and grid upgrades ahead of the next annual energy policy review scheduled for October, aiming to close the gap between supply and demand during peak periods.