For power utilities, demand slowdown is the worst in a decade

Mumbai: Thermal power generation dropped for the third consecutive month, registering a 19% fall in October. Monthly generation numbers are susceptible to vagaries of the season, especially monsoon when demand cools and thermal power plants undergo maintenance shutdowns.

But the longer duration trends are not encouraging either. Thermal power generation dropped 2% in April-October this year, the first such fall in at least a decade, show data from Central Electricity Authority. Part of the fall can be attributed to healthy rainfall, which apart from reducing temperatures has lowered the agriculture load and boosted hydro power generation. The 16% rise in hydro power generation in April-October is best in at least five years.