Sustenergy Foundation Research Cell has compiled and analysed publicly reported electrical incidents involving hospitals across India during 7 January–30 August 2026. The study reconciled details available in public domain and identified 46 unique incidents, while recognising that publicly reported incidents do not constitute a complete national registry. Unreported incidents may therefore be absent from the analysis.
The findings highlight a serious patient-safety concern. 33 incidents (71.7%) were fire-related, while 13 (28.3%) were power-related. Six reported incidents included fatalities, with at least 23 deaths reported across the compiled dataset. Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of incidents at 6, followed by Haryana and Kerala with 5 each, while Punjab recorded 4.
The analysis also shows that electrical risks are not confined to switchboards and distribution systems. HVAC/AC systems appeared in 16 incidents (34.8%), while medical equipment was associated with 4 incidents and generators/DG systems with 4. This reinforces the need for hospitals to consider electrical safety as a whole-facility engineering and patient-safety responsibility, rather than limiting audits to conventional distribution equipment.
The incident trend increased substantially during the study period, reaching 9 incidents each in June, July and August.
What hospitals should do
The research proposes an eight-pillar electrical safety improvement framework:
- Annual electrical safety audits
- Competency-based training for operations and maintenance teams
- Detailed testing during every project commissioning
- Preventive and predictive maintenance
- Backup-power assurance for DG, UPS and batteries
- Structured incident investigation and corrective action
- Emergency preparedness and drills
- Governance, audit closure and continuous learning
The central message is clear: electrical safety must move from periodic compliance to continuous risk management. Regular testing, competent maintenance, documented commissioning, emergency preparedness and management oversight can significantly strengthen hospital resilience.
The findings are intended for safety learning and preventive improvement—not for estimating national incidence or mortality.
Full Research Paper
Download the complete IEEE-format research paper – Indian Hospital Electrical Hazards 2026
Authors: Dr. Bincy Jose, Research Cell, Sustenergy Foundation; Jayakumar Nair, Managing Director, Sustenergy Foundation.