Srinagar, Aug 10: Jammu and Kashmir’s peak electricity demand crossed the 3000-MW mark during May 2026, touching 3063 MW during daytime hours amid the summer power demand surge, according to data presented by the Union Ministry of Power in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

The figures show that while J&K was able to meet its daytime peak demand in May, it faced a shortfall during non-solar hours, when demand reached 2816 MW but only 2776 MW was met, leaving a gap of 40 MW.

The data were furnished by the Ministry of Power in response to Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No 2545 on peak power demand during the summer of 2026.

The state-wise power supply position covers April, May, and June 2026. The May figures represent the highest peak demand recorded in J&K among the three months covered by the data.

In April, J&K's daytime peak demand stood at 2715 MW and the entire demand was met. Its non-solar peak was also 2715 MW and was fully met.

In May, daytime demand increased by 348 MW, or nearly 13 percent, over April, reaching 3063 MW. The full daytime peak was met.

However, the non-solar peak demand stood at 2816 MW, against a peak met of 2776 MW.

By June, the peak demand eased. Daytime demand stood at 2653 MW, all of which was met, while non-solar demand was 2592 MW and the entire demand was met.

The pattern indicates that May was the most demanding month for J&K's power system during the April-June period, particularly during daytime hours.

The only recorded peak shortfall for J&K in the three months occurred during May's non-solar peak.

At the national level, the ministry said India's all-time high peak demand reached 270.8 GW during solar hours and 253.3 GW during non-solar hours in May 2026, both of which were successfully met.

The country's installed generation capacity stood at 548.86 GW as of June 2026. The ministry said the country had added 324.7 GW of generation capacity since April 2014, transforming the power sector from a power-deficit situation to a power-sufficient one.

It said that marginal gaps between energy requirement and supply are generally attributable to constraints in state transmission and distribution networks.

For J&K, the May data also show that the rise in peak demand was accompanied by a small gap in overall energy supply. Against an energy requirement of 1637 million units (MU), 1626 MU was supplied, leaving an 11-MU gap.

In April, J&K's energy requirement was 1548 MU, of which 1544 MU was supplied, a four-MU gap.

In June, the requirement was 1584 MU and supply stood at 1569 MU, leaving a 15-MU gap.

The ministry's data therefore show that J&K's power requirement remained elevated through the summer, with the highest pressure appearing in May.

The rise to 3063 MW in daytime peak demand marks a significant increase from the 2715 MW recorded in April, before demand moderated to 2653 MW in June.

The figures also highlight the importance of non-solar hours for J&K's power system. While daytime demand in May was fully met, the 40-MW gap during non-solar peak hours indicates pressure on the system when solar generation is unavailable or reduced.

Nationally, the government has planned significant additions in storage and dispatchable capacity to meet future peak demand. The ministry said projected pumped-storage capacity additions for FY 2027-28 to FY 2029-30 total 10,950 MW. Battery Energy Storage System additions are projected at 19,766.44 MW in FY 2027-28, 18,913.78 MW in FY 2028-29, and 1200 MW in FY 2029-30.

The government also said that the Central Electricity Authority regularly publishes monthly and annual power supply position reports based on state-wise data on energy requirement, energy supplied, peak demand, and peak met received from state power utilities.