India’s peak power demand hit nearly 239 GW on April 18, topping last year’s peak this summer. The spike is being driven by soaring temperatures and heavier cooling demand from air conditioners, alongside additional load from agriculture. With heatwave conditions expected, the power ministry projects peak demand could rise to 271 GW this year.
India’s data centres are expanding, and with them comes a quiet demand for reliable power. A fleet of older, gas-based plants—often neglected and underutilised—could find a renewed role. But whether they actually power Digital India hinges on unglamorous realities: policy signals, gas and power pricing, and political will to make the economics work.
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