The ministry said India successfully met a peak power demand of 270.82 gigawatts (GW) on Thursday, marking the fourth straight day of all-time high electricity consumption as soaring temperatures across large parts of the country drove increased use of cooling appliances.

“Although we are prepared to supply electricity as required, due to the intense summer, let us all try to use electricity wisely and judiciously,” the ministry said in a statement, while noting that rising demand appeared to be linked to greater usage of air conditioners, coolers and other cooling equipment.

The warning comes as large parts of northern and central India continue to endure severe heat conditions. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the highest temperature recorded on Thursday was 47.6 degrees Celsius in Banda district of Uttar Pradesh, while New Delhi registered temperatures of around 43 degrees Celsius on Friday.

The heatwave has also pushed nighttime temperatures to unusually elevated levels, limiting relief for residents and increasing electricity consumption around the clock. One of New Delhi’s principal weather stations recorded a minimum temperature of 31.9 degrees Celsius on Thursday, the highest May overnight temperature in the capital in 14 years, IMD data showed.

India’s electricity generation mix remained dominated by thermal power, primarily coal-fired plants, which accounted for 62% of output on Thursday. Solar energy contributed 22%, while wind and hydropower each represented about 5% of generation, according to official data.

Despite the ministry’s assertion that demand was being met, some users reported localized outages on social media platform X. Industry analysts note that extreme heat can strain aging distribution infrastructure, including transformers and local transmission networks, leading to isolated power disruptions even when overall generation capacity remains adequate.

The prolonged heat has also affected water bodies and ecosystems. In New Delhi, municipal workers were seen removing dead fish from Sanjay Park lake after shrinking water levels and high temperatures reduced oxygen concentrations in the water.

India, the world’s most populous nation and the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070 but continues to rely heavily on coal to meet growing energy demand.
Meteorologists have warned that minimum temperatures across the country are likely to remain above normal through May.

The IMD said average minimum temperatures in April were 0.78 degrees Celsius higher than the long-term average nationwide.

Scientific studies have linked the increasing frequency, duration and intensity of heatwaves globally to climate change, with India experiencing a series of increasingly severe summer heat events in recent years.

The country’s highest officially recorded temperature remains 51 degrees Celsius, measured in Phalodi, Rajasthan, in 2016.

The vessel, the Anatoly Kolodkin, operating under U.S. sanctions, is the first Russian oil delivery to Cuba since January. Its arrival follows a decision by Donald Trump to permit the cargo on humanitarian grounds, avoiding a potential standoff with Moscow while easing acute shortages that have led to blackouts and fuel rationing.

Residents expressed cautious optimism as the tanker approached the Supertanker Base in Matanzas, a key energy hub east of Havana. Many said the shipment would provide temporary respite but fall short of addressing systemic shortages.

Cuba has faced repeated nationwide blackouts since 2024, alongside persistent scarcities of fuel, food and medicine. The latest delivery is expected to be processed over several weeks before refined products enter circulation.

Energy expert Jorge Pinon of the University of Texas at Austin estimated the crude could yield around 250,000 barrels of diesel, enough to meet demand for roughly 12 days, underscoring the limited scale of the relief. Fome Cubans welcomed the shipment as urgently needed support.

Others described it as insufficient given the depth of the crisis, calling it a symbolic gesture with minimal economic impact.The government is expected to prioritize allocation between electricity generation and transportation, both critical sectors strained by fuel shortages.

Analysts say the oil is unlikely to be used in Cuba’s aging thermoelectric plants, which rely primarily on domestically produced crude.Russia signaled its continued backing for Havana, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating Moscow viewed assistance to Cuba as a responsibility.

He added that Russia and the United States had been in contact regarding the shipment.Washington maintained that its broader sanctions policy remains unchanged.

The White House described the waiver as a case-by-case humanitarian decision, even as Trump reiterated criticism of Cuba’s leadership and downplayed the shipment’s long-term impact.Cuba’s energy outlook has worsened since the disruption of supplies from Venezuela earlier this year, intensifying reliance on external partners.

Efforts to secure alternative shipments, including discussions involving Mexico, have yet to yield sustained flows sufficient to stabilize the grid.