Delhi Heatwave Drives Peak Power Demand To Record High For May, Surpasses Previous Year's Level

Monday witnessed Delhi's peak power demand surpassing last year's record of 7,438 MW on August 22. Discoms anticipate the capital's peak power demand to escalate beyond 8,000 MW this summer.

Delhi's power demand soars (representation purpose only).

New Delhi: A scorching heatwave in certain areas of Delhi on Monday drove the national capital's peak power demand to unprecedented levels for the month of May, according to officials from the power distribution companies (discoms). Realtime data from the State Load Dispatch Centre, Delhi, indicated that the peak power demand surged to 7,557 MW at 3:33 pm, marking a historic high for May.

Monday witnessed Delhi's peak power demand surpassing last year's record of 7,438 MW on August 22. Discoms anticipate the capital's peak power demand to escalate beyond 8,000 MW this summer, reported PTI.

Delhi's Peak Power Demand Exceeds 7,000 MW For Third Consecutive Day

Notably, Delhi's highest-ever peak power demand stands at 7,695 MW, documented on June 29, 2022. This recent surge marked the third consecutive day where Delhi's peak power demand exceeded 7,000 MW, eclipsing the previous May record of 7,070 MW set on May 19, 2022.

The weather has a profound impact on power demand. This was visible even during April when compared to the same period in 2023, they said. In April, Delhi's peak power demand ranged between 3,809 MW and 5,447 MW.

In April 2023, the peak power demand ranged between 3,388 MW and 5,422 MW, they added. The demand can be attributed to weather conditions that lead residents to use more air conditioning and cooling equipment, causing an increase in electricity consumption. Air conditioning can contribute to 30-50 per cent of a domestic or commercial establishment, the discom officials said, as per PTI.

According to a spokesperson from Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited, the company successfully managed a peak power demand of 2,178 MW today, marking the highest demand so far in the current season within their operational area, without encountering any network constraints or power outages, as per PTI.

Meanwhile, BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL) anticipates peak power demand in south and west Delhi to surge to approximately 3,680 MW this year, compared to 3,250 MW and 3,389 MW recorded during the summers of 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Similarly, in east and central Delhi, served by BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL), peak power demand is projected to rise to around 1,860 MW, up from 1,670 MW and 1,752 MW witnessed in 2023 and 2022, respectively.

The two discoms are geared to ensure a reliable power supply to meet the demand of consumers, he added.BRPL and BYPL successfully met a peak power demand of 3,274 MW and 1,664 MW, respectively, in their respective areas on Monday, the spokesperson said.