India faces energy crisis amid record electricity demand
India is gearing up for a scorching summer in 2026, and the heat isn't just uncomfortable: it's putting serious pressure on the country's electricity and water supplies.
The weather department expects more hot days ahead, which means everyone will be cranking up their fans and ACs, pushing electricity demand to new highs.
Add in India's dependence on imported oil and gas, plus global tensions affecting energy supply, and it's clear why these systems are feeling the heat.
Experts say better policies and investments could help
Electricity demand could hit a record 260 gigawatts this year, even though India has roughly 500 gigawatts of installed capacity (about half from non-fossil sources), coal still dominates electricity generation because solar and wind are intermittent.
Meanwhile, only about one-quarter of wastewater gets treated, making water shortages worse in cities.
Experts like Nitin Bassi from CEEW say better policies and investment could let India reuse huge amounts of treated wastewater by 2047, and speeding up renewables would take some pressure off the grid too.