April Power Demand Surges, Yet Prices Remain Stable at ₹5.26/unit in India
High power demand, but spot prices rise only 1% to ₹5.26/unit in April: IEX
Business Standard
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In April 2026, India's power demand increased, leading to a 1% rise in the average market clearing price to ₹5.26 per unit, according to the India Energy Exchange (IEX). Despite this increase, competitive pricing opportunities arose due to unseasonal rainfall and surplus renewable energy during solar hours.
- 01Power demand in April 2026 increased significantly, reaching an all-time high of 256 GW on April 25.
- 02The average market clearing price in the day-ahead market rose by only 1% to ₹5.26 per unit.
- 03Real-time market prices averaged ₹4.82 per unit, a 5.4% increase year-on-year.
- 04Electricity traded volume rose by 16.6% to 12,341 million units in April 2026.
- 05Unseasonal rainfall helped keep day-ahead market prices below ₹3.5 per unit on several days.
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April 2026 saw a notable increase in power demand across India, with peak consumption reaching 256 GW on April 25. The average market clearing price (MCP) in the day-ahead market (DAM) rose by only 1% to ₹5.26 per unit, despite a 31% year-on-year increase in buy bids and a 35% rise in sell bids. The India Energy Exchange (IEX) reported that unseasonal rainfall during the month helped moderate demand, allowing distribution companies and commercial consumers to procure power at competitive rates, with DAM prices occasionally falling below ₹3.5 per unit. In the real-time market (RTM), prices averaged ₹4.82 per unit, up 5.4% year-on-year, with the segment achieving its highest single-day trade of 250 million units on April 30. Overall, electricity traded volume increased by 16.6% to 12,341 million units, reflecting the dynamic weather conditions that influenced energy consumption, which totaled 154 billion units in April.
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The stable pricing in the power market allows consumers, especially distribution companies and commercial users, to manage their procurement more effectively amidst fluctuating demand.
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