India to tap augmented solar capacity, coal to weather El Nino, summer power demand, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• India plans to meet increased power demand during peak summer and El Nino using coal-powered thermal plants and augmented solar plants.
• On April 25, when India's peak demand reached 256.1 gigawatts, thermal plants accounted for 66.9% of power generation, while solar contributed 21.5%.
• India added a record 44.61 gigawatts of solar capacity in fiscal year 2025-26, more than double the previous year.
• The India Meteorological Department forecasts El Nino conditions during the monsoon months (June-September), potentially leading to weak monsoon rains.
• India currently holds approximately 200 million tonnes of coal stocks, sufficient for over 83 days of thermal plant operations.

Detailed Insights:

• The augmented solar capacity and traditional thermal plants are crucial for managing peak summer demand and the impact of El Nino.
• Despite solar power comprising about 30% of India’s installed capacity, its full utilization is limited by battery storage constraints and grid stability concerns.
• Stronger transmission networks, flexible grid operations, and faster battery deployment are needed to increase the share of non-fossil sources in meeting evening and night-time demand.
• While most of India is expected to have less severe temperatures and more rain than usual in May, Gujarat, Maharashtra, coastal Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Himalayan foothills may experience more heatwave days.

Key Concepts Involved:

• El Nino: A climate pattern describing the unusual warming of surface waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.
• Thermal Plants: Power plants that generate electricity by using heat to produce steam, which drives turbines connected to generators.