CHENNAI: As power demand rises with the onset of summer, Tamil Nadu is witnessing a parallel surge in solar generation, offering a slight relief to the grid and helping the state meet growing consumption without major disruptions in the election season.
According to data from Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) accessed by TNIE, the state-owned discom evacuated 54.8 million units (MUs) of solar power on March 24 and 55.6 MUs on March 27, surpassing the previous record of 53.9 MUs set on August 20, 2025. Officials said the milestone has been achieved even before the peak summer. To place it in context, this was nearly 13% of the state’s total power consumption around those days.
“Rising temperatures have led to increased use of cooling appliances and induction stoves, particularly in some areas facing shortage of LPG, resulting in a steady rise in power consumption across the state.
On Monday, the state’s power consumption stood at 423.887 MUs, the highest recorded so far this season,” a senior TNPDCL official told TNIE. He added that the previous peak demand of 454.32 MUs, recorded on April 30, 2024, is likely to be surpassed soon.
The official said the discom evacuating nearly 50 MUs of solar power regularly has significantly helped in ensuring uninterrupted power supply to commercial and domestic consumers.
According to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), Tamil Nadu generated 1,745.24 million units (MUs) of solar power in February this year, an increase of 40.18 MUs compared to February 2025.
Officials said improved solar capacity and favourable weather conditions have helped the state record higher generation during the month. Another senior official said, “As of March 31, 2022, Tamil Nadu’s solar installed capacity stood at 5,303 MW. It has now more than doubled to 12,352 MW (133%) in just three years.”