In the next few months, Gujarat’s electricity consumption is projected to surpass Maharashtra. On June 7th, Gujarat’s electricity demand reached 25,502 megawatts (MW), just 476 MW short of Maharashtra’s 25,878 MW. This marks a notable decrease from 2017, when the difference in electricity consumption was 7,495 MW.
The narrowing gap in electricity demand between Gujarat and Maharashtra has been driven by rapid industrialization and economic growth in Gujarat. On May 26, 2024, Gujarat’s demand was 23,380 MW compared to Maharashtra’s 25,920 MW, a difference of 2,540 MW. Over the past five years, this gap has reduced significantly: in 2018, the difference was 7,321 MW; in 2019, it was 5,856 MW; in 2020, it was 5,654 MW; and by 2024, it was just 476 MW. Gujarat’s per capita electricity consumption has also consistently exceeded Maharashtra’s. In 2018–19, Gujarat’s per capita consumption was 2,378 units, compared to Maharashtra’s 1,424 units. By 2022–23, Gujarat’s consumption rose to 2,402 units, while Maharashtra’s was 1,539 units.
The increase in electricity demand in Gujarat is attributed to industrialization and improved financial stability among citizens, especially in Tier-2 cities. Despite the expected gradual decrease in electricity consumption due to rain in Central and South Gujarat, the overall demand in the state is anticipated to increase within the next 3–6 months.