Gujarat's power shortage is widening. The state has asked factories to cut electricity use during the evening peak and to voluntarily shift production to non-peak hours, according to a Reuters report on 21 October 2026. Uttar Gujarat Vij Company Ltd (UGVCL), which supplies North Gujarat, has asked both industries and households to save power between 5 pm and 11 pm.
Cuts reported across the state
South Gujarat units have been facing an eight-hour cut from 4 pm to midnight on their feeder's weekly stagger day since mid-October. Reports on 21 October said similar eight-hour cuts are now affecting GIDC estates and factories from North Gujarat to Kutch, though official details on the areas and duration had not been published. Saurashtra districts such as Jamnagar, Rajkot, Morbi and Surendranagar already have cuts from 4 pm to 11 pm on their stagger days.
Why the evening is the problem
- Solar power covers a large share of Gujarat's daytime demand but stops after sunset, while evening demand from homes, shops and farms stays high.
- A late heatwave and weak monsoon have raised irrigation demand, and farm feeders are being given priority.
- Coal is tight nationally: Central Electricity Authority data cited by Reuters shows about half of India's 191 coal-fired plants have critically low coal stocks. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Bihar are also seeking extra short-term power.
Gujarat has asked the Centre for more coal and electricity. On 17 October, the state said it had arranged additional power through December and expected demand to ease as the weather cools.
What industry wants
The Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) has asked the Chief Minister to move industrial cuts to night hours (7 pm–7 am) so that day shifts and Diwali dispatches are protected. No change to the timing had been announced at the time of writing. Read our earlier report on what the cuts mean for Surat textile units.