Rising heat across parts of India raises alarm on another energy crunch

High temperatures across parts of India have pushed electricity demand to near-record levels in recent weeks, triggering worries about yet another summer squeeze on power supply. 
 

Peak demand for electricity touched 211 gigawatts in January, close to an all-time high last summer when heavy industry roared back from pandemic curbs and the population contended with sweltering conditions that saw a 122-year-old heat record breached. 

Temperatures have been as much as 11C above normal in some regions in the past week and prompted the India Meteorological Department to advise farmers to check wheat and other crops for signs of heat stress.