The Indian Energy Exchange (IEX), the nation's premier electricity trading platform, reported a substantial 16.6% year-on-year increase in monthly electricity traded volume for April 2026. The exchange recorded 12,341 million units (MUs) traded, a significant jump attributed to robust power demand across the country.
Overall energy consumption in India reached 154 billion units (BUs) in April 2026, marking a 4% rise compared to the previous year. This surge in demand pushed India's electricity demand to an all-time high of 256 GW during the month. Dynamic weather conditions, ranging from unseasonal rainfall to intense summer heat, played a crucial role in driving this elevated consumption.
Market Dynamics in April 2026
In the Day-Ahead Market (DAM), strong demand led to a 31% year-on-year increase in buy bids, while sell bids also saw a sharp 35% rise. The average market-clearing price in the DAM stood at Rs. 5.26 per unit, a 1% increase from the previous year. However, initial days of April saw unseasonal rainfall, which temporarily moderated demand and kept DAM prices below Rs. 3.5 per unit on several occasions. This presented a valuable opportunity for Distribution Companies (DISCOMs) and Commercial & Industrial (C&I) consumers to procure power at competitive rates and optimize their costs.
The Real-Time Market (RTM) mirrored these trends. Prices in the RTM touched near-zero levels during multiple time blocks throughout the month, primarily driven by a surplus of renewable energy during solar hours. The average RTM market-clearing price was Rs. 4.82 per unit, up 5.4% year-on-year.
Growing Role of Real-Time Market
Notably, the RTM achieved its highest-ever single-day trade of 250 MUs on April 30. This underscores the increasing importance of the RTM in enabling DISCOMs and C&I consumers to manage their power procurement flexibly and cost-effectively, adapting to real-time supply and demand fluctuations.
While electricity trading volumes soared, Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) saw a decline. A total of 1.18 lakh RECs were traded in April, representing a 59.4% decrease year-on-year.