Highest electricity consumption ever in India. Bangladesh limits public service opening hours.
O south asia prepares to face, in the coming weeks, a combination potentially devastating of extreme heat e pressure about the electrical systems.
Several countries in the region already fear power failures, precisely when demand for air conditioning is expected to soar.
Intense heat waves in South Asia have been linked to deaths, productivity failures, increased cooling needs and strain on urban infrastructure.
According to , India anticipates for this summer the higher electricity consumption of its history, in a context in which temperatures between April and June once again threaten critical levels for millions of people.
India will be right at the center of concern: it foresees a demand for electricity of up to 270 gigawatts, the biggest ever; a record largely driven by the increased use of refrigeration systems, in areas where thermometers can regularly reach 40 to 45 degrees.
The German newspaper highlights: South Asia is preparing for a deadly heat waveand so on Electricity for the air conditioning is already running out.
To reduce the risk of blackouts, the Indian Government is implementing emergency measures: reinforcement of coal production, reactivation of thermal capacity and acceleration of wind, solar and battery storage projects.
The pressure on the electricity grid comes at a particularly delicate time, as the international energy crisis is also affecting access to liquefied natural gas (LNG).
In this context, the immediate option has in many cases been to increase the use of coal, highlights the .
The problem is not limited to India. Node Bangladesh, for example, the Government has already announced cuts in public service opening hours, restrictions on electricity consumption and other cost-saving measures to try to deal with fuel shortages and slow the escalation of demand.
The risk is not just health; is also economic. The indicates that authorities admit that pressure on the energy system could affect economic activity, transport, commerce and even the functioning of schools.
