NEW DELHI: The increasing adoption of induction cookstoves amid shortages in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supply is expected to significantly raise electricity demand in India, said a senior official in the power ministry.
According to Krushna Chandra Panigrahy, director general, Bureau of Energy Efficiency, the transition towards electric cooking has already begun and could add between 13 gigawatts (GW) and 27 GW to the country’s power demand, particularly during peak morning and evening hours.
“The transition has started, and cooking is expected to introduce an additional layer of demand, particularly during peak hours. We expect the additional demand to be in the range of 13 GW to 27 GW,” said Krushna Chandra Panigrahy.
The shift comes in the backdrop of disruptions in LPG supply due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which has pushed many households to opt for induction-based cooking solutions. There is a sharp rise in demand for induction stoves, with daily sales increasing from around 2,000 units to over one to two lakh units, marking more than a 30-fold surge on e-commerce platforms such as Amazon India in March.
Despite the rise in electricity demand, the government remains confident of meeting requirements. According to Piyush Singh, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Power, over 75% of India’s electricity is generated from thermal power plants, and coordinated efforts with the Ministry of Coal and the Ministry of Railways have ensured adequate coal availability.
“All thermal power plants are operating at full capacity with sufficient coal stocks,” he said.
India’s peak power demand stood at 245 GW last year, compared to 250 GW the year before. Singh added that the country has consistently met its energy requirements this year, despite a modest demand growth of 0.8%.
Moreover, to ensure uninterrupted supply during the current period, the government has deferred scheduled maintenance of power plants by three months, making an additional 10,000 megawatts (MW) of capacity available. As per the power ministry, coal stocks at thermal power plants currently stand at around 55 million tonnes, sufficient for approximately 19 days, with supplies being continuously monitored by the concerned ministries.
While there has been some reduction in gas-based power generation, officials said the impact has been minimal as such capacity accounts for only about 1.4% of the total power mix. Around 2,400 MW of gas-based capacity has remained operational, including plants not connected to the gas grid.