RAS question
According to the Ministry of Power, what was India's record peak electricity demand met without shortage on 25 April 2026?
Correct answer: (B) 256.1 GW.
India met an all-time highest peak electricity demand of 256.1 GW on 25 April 2026 without any shortage while maintaining electricity exports.
Explanation
The Ministry of Power release issued through PIB on 28 April 2026 states that India met its all-time highest peak electricity demand of 256.1 GW on 25 April 2026 at 15:38 without any shortage. The release also says electricity exports to neighbouring countries continued at the same time, so the point is not merely that demand rose, but that the system met the recorded peak. Its table gives All India Peak Demand Met as 256117 MW, which corresponds to the 256.1 GW figure used in the question. The other options are not supported by the official release for that date.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) 230.0 GW is below the official figure and is not reported in the PIB release as the peak demand met on 25 April 2026.
- (C) 265.5 GW does not match either the release text or the table value of 256117 MW for All India Peak Demand Met.
- (D) 278.4 GW is not supported by the Ministry of Power release for the 25 April 2026 peak demand record.
Concept
This tests Indian Economy current affairs on power-sector capacity and demand management, using an official infrastructure statistic rather than a generic energy fact. Such questions recur in RAS because peak demand, shortage-free supply and official ministry data connect economic growth with public infrastructure performance.