THE all-India energy demand is expected to be higher in March quarter of 2020-21 compared to same period a year ago despite the partial lockdown in some states due to a surge in COVID-19 cases, India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) said. Ind-Ra has published the March 2021 edition of its credit news digest on the power sector. The report highlights the trends in the power sector, with a focus on capacity addition, generation, transmission, merchant power, deficit, regulatory changes and the recent rating actions by Ind-Ra.

 

“The all-India energy demand is expected to be higher in 4QFY21 on a year-on-year basis, despite partial lockdowns in some of the states on account of an increase in COVID-19 cases,” India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) said. In February 2021, the all-India energy demand increased 0.2 per cent year-on-year to 104.6 billion units. The energy demand in April-February 2020-21 was lower by 2.8 per cent, the report said. The short-term power price at Indian Energy Exchange continued its improving trend on a year-on-year basis with the prices breaching Rs 4/unit in March 2021 for the first time since October 2018.