India's power shortages fade by 22 October 2026 as demand cools; hydro still weak
India's all-India electricity shortage fell to 0.43 million units (MU) on 22 October 2026, down from a 40.5 MU peak on 6 October. Lower demand closed the gap. Hydro and renewable supply are still weak.
A data update from FactIQ, written from Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation India figures. What is FactIQ?
Key figures
- All-India electricity shortage, 22 October 2026
- 0.43 MUdown from a peak of 40.5 MU on 6 October2026-09-052026-10-22India Energy shortage - All India
- All-India electricity delivered to consumers (energy met), 22 October 2026
- 5,012 MUdown from 5,533 MU on 5 October2026-09-052026-10-22India Energy met - All India
- All-India hydro generation, latest day
- 358.65 MUdown from 735 MU on 9 September, roughly half
- All-India coal generation, latest day
- 3,896 MUabout 72% of the 5,415 MU gross total2026-09-052026-10-22India Gross generation, Coal - All India
Shortages have almost disappeared since early October
The energy shortage is the electricity that consumers wanted but the grid could not supply. Grid-India's daily power data show that the all-India energy shortage peaked at 40.5 million units (MU) on 6 October. MU is a measure of electrical energy. The shortage was still 31.3 MU on 14 October and fell to 0.43 MU on 22 October. Shortages during the evening peak hour ran at 4,000–5,800 megawatts (MW) in early October. Over 18–22 October they were 0–175 MW.Lower demand, not more supply, closed the gap
- Energy met is the electricity actually delivered to consumers. It slipped from 5,533 MU on 5 October to 5,012 MU on 22 October.
- Daily peak demand fell to 235.9 gigawatts (GW).
Hydro and renewable output are still well below recent levels
- Hydro generation was 358.65 MU, roughly half the 735 MU of 9 September.
- Output from renewable energy sources (RES), which covers wind, solar, biomass and others, was about 820 MU. It was roughly 1,160 MU in late September.
- Solar output fell to about 626 MU, from around 720 MU in early October.
- Electricity imports from Bhutan dropped from 38.8 MU to 8.6 MU.
Coal carries the grid, and rising demand is the main risk
Coal plants generated 3,896 MU. That is about 72% of the 5,415 MU gross total. Coal stocks are low after the coal-import mandate was shelved. Hydro and renewables are still weak, so a renewed rise in demand is the main risk to supply.Source: Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation India. See all MOSPI data in FactIQ.
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