(HT)
Uttar Pradesh is likely to witness a comfortable power situation in the financial year 2025-26, with a projected annual surplus of 4,391 megawatt (mw) in peak demand and 25,720 million units (MU) in energy availability, according to the Central Electricity Authority’s (CEA) latest Load Generation Balance Report (LGBR).
Uttar Pradesh’s peak demand anticipated for the year 2025-26 is the second highest after the 35,081 mw peak demand that Maharashtra has been projected to have during the same year.
The anticipated annual peak demand, according to the report, stands at 33,849 mw (in June) while the availability is expected to reach 38,240 mw — a surplus of 13%. In terms of energy, the state is projected to require 1,75,170 MU, while 2,00,890 MU will be available, ensuring a 14.7% surplus.
The summer months, which typically see an increased demand, are also forecasted to remain in surplus. June 2025 will have a peak surplus of 3,081 mw (9.1%) and a nominal energy surplus of 22 MU. July is expected to be even better with a 4,733 mw (14.1%) surplus in peak and 155 MU in energy.
October and December will see the highest monthly surpluses in peak power — 4,756 mw (20.2%) each. January 2026 is set to record the largest energy surplus of the year at 3,826 MU.
Interestingly, the state will face a minor energy deficit of 1.0% (180 MU) in May 2025 despite a peak surplus of 968 mw, highlighting the challenge of managing sustained high consumption.
In the Northern region, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab had by and large met the Energy Requirement in full. Himachal Pradesh, J&K and Ladakh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand experienced marginal gap between Energy Requirement and Energy Supplied in the range of 0.2% to 0.4%.
In the northern region, the Energy Requirement and Peak Demand for 2024-25 was higher than the anticipated by 1.6% and 1.1% respectively.
“The Peak Demand and Energy Requirement in the States/UTs have been worked out on the basis of the trend analysis considering the data for the preceding years as also the specific load requirements, if any, as per the established methodology. The availability of electricity has been worked out on the basis of generation programme firmed up by CEA after consultations with the generating companies/ Utilities and finally approved by Ministry of Power,” the report says.
The report observes that Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Puducherry, Jharkhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Meghalaya are likely to be surplus, both in terms of peak and energy on annual basis, for the year 2025-26.
“While Haryana, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Manipur and Mizoram, are anticipated to be surplus in terms of energy only; Uttarakhand and DVC are likely to be surplus in peak only,” observes the report.
“All other States/UTs in the country are likely to have demand-supply gap of varying degree both for energy and peak,” it added.
Experts say the projected surplus in UP reflects improved planning, additional capacity, and better coordination between state and central generating stations.
“The report signals a positive outlook for industries, agriculture, and domestic consumers, though an efficient distribution and timely infrastructure upgrades remain crucial to translating surplus into uninterrupted supply,” said a senior UP Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) official.
“It is often because of distribution and transmission networks that people face power cuts in summer when the system starts crumbling due to the heightened demand that surpasses the system capacity,” he explained.
