NEW DELHI: Thursday’s power demand in the capital surged past last year’s peak as hot and humid weather — the mercury hovered around 40°C — forced people to reach for their ACs.
Add to that more offices and businesses reopening as part of the gradual unlocking, and the electricity consumption touched 6,499MW — this year’s highest and comfortably past 2020’s peak of 6,314 MW.
Officials expect the city’s power demand to spike to the 7,000-7,400MW range.
The figure increased by over 10 % in the last 48 hours and over 40% since June 1.
Delhi’s highestever peak power demand is 7,409MW — on July 2, 2019.
At night, a fierce sandstorm hit Delhi, cooling it down a bit but also knocking off power supply in pockets.
Spells of light to moderate showers are forecast from June12 to16.
The monsoon may arrive in Delhi during this period as well.
As demand peaks, city discoms say they are ready to meet extra loadAt 11:18 pm on Wednesday, June 9, Delhi’s peak power demand clocked 6,329MW, this season’s highest till then and also higher than last year’s peak.
The figure, however, was overtaken at 3:10 pm today on Thursday, with the peak power demand of 6,499MW.
Due to the national lockdown during summer last year, Delhi’s peak power demand was recorded at 6,314MW, which was lower than the all-time high peak power demand of 7,409MW recorded on July 2, 2019.
In June last year, Delhi’s peak power demand crossed the 6,000 MW-mark only by June18.
On June 7, Delhi’s peak power demand crossed 5,000 MW for the first time this season, clocking 5,559 MW at 11:19 pm.
From June 1, 2021, however, Delhi’s peak power demand has increased by over 40%.
“The increase in power demand corresponds to the gradual unlocking in Delhi and the weather, which seems to taking a bit of respite after rains and thundershowers over the past few days,” an official said.
The peak power demand in between June1 and10 this year has been around 33% higher than the corresponding peak power recorded last June, he said.
“Ensuring reliable supply in any season is as much the function of proper power arrangements as also of accurate demand (load) forecasting and robust distribution network,” a BSES spokesperson said.
“We are closely watching the evolving Corona Virus situation in the national capital and taking all appropriate measures to ensure reliable power supply to all consumers, including essential services such as hospitals, labs, quarantine centres, vaccination centres etc.,” he said.
A Tata Power Delhi Distribution spokesperson said that the discom successfully met the peak power demand of Thursday, highest for this season, without any network constraint and power outage.
“The company has adequately prepared for the summer season by strengthening its power network and conducting preventive maintenance and condition based maintenance of all critical electrical installations,” he said.