MUMBAI - India is taking all necessary measures to ensure that power demand is met during what is expected to be a brutal summer this year, the federal government said on Tuesday.

The government would monitor capacity additions in coal, hydro, nuclear, solar and wind power plants to speed up commissioning of that extra capacity, it said in a statement. It would also try to harness surplus power which may be available at generating stations dedicated to specific users, the government said.

India's weather department said on Monday that the country was likely to experience more heat waves than normal between April and June.

A heat wave for the third year in a row could dent production of wheat, rapeseed and chickpeas, and also lift power demand above supply during the summer season.

"All thermal generating stations must offer their un-requisitioned/surplus power in power exchanges," the statement said.

Electricity demand in the summer would be higher than in previous years, it said, while noting that the overall shortfall between energy demand and availability narrowed in 2023-2024 to 0.2% from 0.5% in 2022-23. REUTERS