Diwali Darkness Looms: Gujarat Industries Grapple with 8-Hour Power Cuts, Billions at Risk

Gujarat's industrial heartland is facing an unprecedented crisis just weeks before Diwali, as an eight-hour daily power cut across South Gujarat threatens to halt production and trigger losses running into thousands of crores of rupees. This drastic step comes as the state's electricity demand soared to a record 29,822 Megawatts (MW) on October 16, 2026, creating a severe supply-demand gap during the crucial festive manufacturing season. The Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) has sounded the alarm, warning that the prolonged power outages, implemented by distributors like Dakshin Gujarat Vij Company Limited (DGVCL), could jeopardize the livelihoods of nearly 25 lakh (2.5 million) workers in the textile, diamond, and manufacturing sectors. This crisis is a perfect storm of factors: lower-than-expected Wind Power and Hydropower generation due to a weak monsoon and low wind speeds, coupled with a tight Coal Shortage and rising international fuel prices, some of which are linked to global geopolitical tensions and El Niño conditions. Industrialists, led by SGCCI President Ashok Jirawala, are pushing the state government and electricity companies like Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation (GETCO) to revise the Load Shedding timings, suggesting a shift from 4 PM to midnight to 7 PM to 7 AM to minimize disruption to daytime production. While Gujarat's Energy Minister Rushikesh Patel assures citizens of efforts to secure additional power from the Centre and NTPC Limited, and increase coal supplies to Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Limited (GSECL), long-term solutions, including new thermal and nuclear projects under Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL)'s SHAKTI scheme, are years away. The immediate challenge remains bridging this critical gap during one of the busiest times for Indian industries.