On the last day of July, nearly 10% of the world’s population was left in the dark when three of India’s electric power grids failed. Some six hundred million people were impacted by the most extensive blackout in history. Miners were trapped underground, passengers were stranded on trains, and water supplies were interrupted.
The incident highlighted the limitations of India’s current power network. More than 1/3 of the country’s population does not tap into its electric grid. Yet existing infrastructure is already overburdened.
Analysts estimate there is a 10% gap between supply and demand, with much of the shortage due to government subsidies that prevent coal mining—and thus additional power plants—from being profitable.
India experienced a weak monsoon season this year, which translated into less water to fuel hydro power plants in northern India. Hydroelectric output from April to June was almost 20% lower than 2011. At the same time, in response to the drought, India’s farmers relied heavily on electric-powered pumps to draw out groundwater for crop irrigation.
It is suspected that this one-two punch strained India’s taxed power grid, which was already struggling to keep pace with its citizens’ rapid embrace of indoor air conditioning.
In the coming years, climate change models predict that India will experience an uptick in droughts and heat waves – so this problem is likely to repeat itself. While it is expected that coal will continue to be part of India’s energy profile, renewable energy should be part of its modernization plans.
Solar energy—including solar irrigation pumps—would be a step in the right direction.
Web Links
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/01/uk-india-blackout-idUSLNE86U01G20120801
http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/poverty-matters/2012/aug/01/india-power-struggle
Photo, taken on March 19, 2008 in India, courtesy of Land Rover Our Planet via Flickr.