The war in West Asia has suddenly restored old respect to induction cooktops. With the Strait of Hormuz effectively blockaded, uncertainty has emerged in fuel supply including cooking gas (LPG), prompting the Centre to start playing it 'safe' in advance. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has taken multiple steps to prevent panic booking of gas cylinders.
Among these is extending the time limit for booking the next cylinder after receiving a refill. And induction has started gaining importance again in this opportunity. Just as purchasing induction cooktops from stores or online has increased on one hand, many people have been seen visiting electrical shops to repair old induction cooktops lying at home.
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Electric cooking could significantly increase peak power demand
Amid concerns about getting cooking gas, induction provided 'oxygen' to families. But the question is, if most families in the country increase the use of electric cooking equipment like induction or infrared cooktops, will it be possible for the Centre to meet the additional electricity demand that will be created?
Krishna Chandra Panigrahi, Director General of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), the organization that determines the energy saving capacity of electrical equipment, said on Friday that this could create an additional electricity demand of 13 to 27 gigawatts. He said, 'Due to differences in climate, socio-economic conditions and cooking habits, the pattern of electricity usage varies in different regions. Therefore, calculating electricity demand is not very easy, it's complex. Considering the electricity usage of the country's states, it is estimated that cooking with induction could create an additional demand of 13 gigawatts to 27 gigawatts. However, this has not yet had a major impact on the country's overall electricity demand.'
Meanwhile, although US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire, Israel's renewed attack on Iran the next day means there appears to be no immediate possibility of resolving the Hormuz situation. As a result, where an average of 10 ships per day were crossing Hormuz, only five ships crossed this waterway between Thursday and Friday. It must be remembered that 20 percent of the world's total fuel is transported through this waterway.
To maintain the supply of domestic LPG, the Centre has somewhat restricted the supply of commercial LPG required for industrial organizations. As a result, the Centre has postponed maintenance work at many thermal power plants for three months. The total production capacity of these thermal power plants is around 10 gigawatts. It goes without saying that if electricity demand increases, the supply path will not be very smooth. Additional Secretary of the Power Ministry Piyush Singh said, 'Maintenance work at the plants goes on at this time every year. However, keeping in mind the electricity demand and reduced gas supply, we have postponed the maintenance work.'
He further informed that plans have been made to add more than 22 gigawatts of electricity generation capacity in the country between April and June. This includes 3.5 gigawatts of thermal power, 10 gigawatts of solar power, 2.5 gigawatts of wind power, 1.9 gigawatts of battery energy storage and 750 megawatts of hydroelectric power, along with additional capacity from pump storage and hybrid projects. Piyush said, 'Recently, gas-dependent plants have been allowed to import their own liquefied natural gas. We are focusing on increasing production capacity and the coal supply situation.' According to Power Ministry officials, 'The maximum electricity demand in the country this year could touch 271 gigawatts.'
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According to experts, the real challenge is not just the amount of demand, but when that demand is increasing. Alekhya Datta, Director of the Electricity and Renewable Division at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), said, 'Electricity usage for cooking is mainly highest in the morning and evening. Even if electricity usage increases slightly by 3 to 5 gigawatts during this time, local electricity distribution companies could face severe pressure.
Because the infrastructure in most areas is not suitable for handling such suddenly created pressure.' If many families or restaurants simultaneously turn to electric cooking, the distribution transformers in that area could fail. If this trend becomes long-term, there will be no option without fundamental changes to electricity infrastructure and adequate supply. Above all, data from the weather department suggests that this year's heat is likely to be more intense than other years. In that case, induction cooktops are set to become 'the last straw that breaks the camel's back.'
