To estimate the electricity cost of a 24/7 YouTube stream in India, measure the average power draw of the equipment you will keep running, convert its operating hours into kilowatt-hours (kWh), then apply the marginal energy rate for your state, utility, consumer category and usage slab. There is no single reliable national rate or wattage for a livestream.
Calculate the stream’s energy use
Use this formula:
Energy (kWh) = average power (watts) Ă— operating hours Ă· 1,000
One electricity unit on a typical bill equals 1 kWh. For continuous operation, use 24 hours per day multiplied by the number of days in your estimate. For a 30-day estimate, that is 720 hours.
- Find the average watts for the equipment included in the estimate.
- Multiply watts by the hours it will run.
- Divide by 1,000 to get kWh, or units.
- Apply the relevant marginal energy charge to those added units. If your tariff is slabbed, work out how the extra units fall across the applicable slabs.
For example, using a hypothetical average draw of 150 W for 30 days: 150 Ă— 24 Ă— 30 Ă· 1,000 = 108 kWh. This is an illustration of the arithmetic, not a claim about typical streaming equipment or an Indian tariff.
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Measure the whole setup, not an assumed “streaming” wattage
Power use depends on the equipment and workload. YouTube supports software encoders and standalone hardware encoders, among other possible stream hardware, but its documentation does not give a general wattage for a 24/7 livestream. Encoder bitrate recommendations are video and network settings; they are not electricity-consumption figures. See YouTube’s encoder setup guidance and encoder settings and bitrate recommendations.
Include equipment that will actually stay on
For a realistic estimate, include the computer or encoder and any other continuously powered equipment used for the stream, such as a router, display, camera, lights, capture equipment or audio gear. Avoid counting devices that are not part of the setup. If some equipment would already be running regardless, distinguish its existing consumption from the additional power attributable to streaming.
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Use a meter where practical
A plug-in electricity usage meter with a kWh display can help replace a guessed wattage with a measurement for one device. Measure for long enough to capture changes in workload and idle periods; a short instantaneous reading may not represent the average. For a multi-device setup, account for every device, and measure equipment safely. Do not treat one device’s reading as the consumption of the entire rig.
Find the tariff that applies to your home or premises
India does not have one universal household electricity rate. The Central Electricity Authority’s Electricity Tariff & Duty and Average rates of electricity supply in India 2025 compendium presents state and consumer-category information, slab rates and subsidy details. Its Tamil Nadu domestic example lists energy charges of ₹4.80 per unit for several lower slabs and ₹6.45 per unit for the 201–250 unit slab before subsidy; the table gives a tariff effective date of 1 July 2024 and shows different subsidy-adjusted rates. These figures illustrate slab and subsidy differences; they are not a current rate for every reader. Check the CEA compendium and, for a current bill estimate, your utility’s applicable tariff order and bill.
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The Ministry of Power says retail tariffs are determined by the appropriate electricity regulatory commissions, while state governments may provide subsidies to consumer classes. The applicable rate can therefore depend on your state, distribution utility, consumer category, monthly usage slab and subsidy eligibility. The Ministry’s 10 August 2026 release on tariff design also discusses recovering fixed costs through fixed or demand charges.
- Identify your state and distribution utility.
- Check whether your connection is domestic or another consumer category.
- Note your current monthly usage and the slab that the additional units would enter.
- Check whether a subsidy applies to your consumer class.
- Use the current tariff order or bill, including applicable adjustments, rather than assuming a headline rate applies to every unit.
Estimate energy charges—and distinguish them from the whole bill
If a flat marginal energy rate is appropriate, multiply the estimated added kWh by that rate. For a slabbed tariff, allocate the added units to the relevant slabs and use the applicable rate for each portion. Keep the estimate limited to energy charges unless you have also accounted for the charges that affect your bill.
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The total bill increase may differ from the energy-charge estimate because fixed or demand charges, electricity duty, fuel or power-purchase adjustments, subsidies and other items can apply. Their treatment depends on the reader’s supply and tariff. The CEA’s tables distinguish charges and subsidy treatment; the Ministry’s explanation of fixed-cost recovery is not a substitute for a reader-specific bill calculation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Compare two setups on the same basis
If you are deciding between a computer and a dedicated encoder, compare like with like rather than comparing one device’s draw against an entire rig. Use the same measurement period and tariff assumptions for both.
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| Comparison item | What to record for each setup |
|---|---|
| Average power | Measured average watts for the full included setup |
| Streaming workload | Resolution, frame rate and encoding workload |
| Included equipment | Computer or encoder, router, display and any other continuously powered devices counted |
| Tariff basis | Consumer category, marginal slab and subsidy assumptions |
| Estimated use and cost | Monthly kWh and energy-charge estimate, calculated consistently |
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