Delhi's power demand hits new record of 8,600MW amid severe heatwave
PTC News Desk: On Tuesday afternoon saw a record 8,647 megawatts (MW) of power consumed in Delhi due to an oppressive heatwave that has pushed temperatures several degrees above average for days.
According to Delhi's State Load Despatch Centre (SLDC), the demand on Tuesday afternoon, measured at 3.22 p.m., surpassed the previous high of 8,302 MW on May 29 of this year. These figures are far higher than the forecasts made by authorities in the lead-up to summer. On May 22, the Capital's power demand exceeded 8,000 MW for the first time.
According to discom data, Delhi's peak electricity demand exceeded 7,000MW for the thirty-first day in a row, which is the longest such run for the Capital.
The nation's capital is currently experiencing its third heatwave of the summer, dating back ten days to June 9. During that period, Delhi has also had substantially above-average nighttime temperatures, with six straight "warm nights"—the longest streak in 12 years.
According to a discom spokesman, these are record highs. The highest power demand ever recorded in Delhi was 7,695 MW on June 29, 2022, which was before 2024. Discoms had predicted in April that the city's summertime peak demand would reach about 8,200MW; however, that projection has since been exceeded.
"On Tuesday, Delhi's peak power demand exceeded 7,000 MW for the thirty-first consecutive day." The electricity distribution network in Delhi has managed to meet the heavy demand in spite of this, an official stated.
A spokeswoman for BSES subsidiaries BRPL and BYPL, which provide energy to areas of central, east, west, and south Delhi, stated that they satisfied Tuesday's peak demands of 1,858MW and 3,750MW, respectively.
Around the same time, Tata Power DDL (TPDDL), which provides electricity to north and northwest Delhi, reported that it had successfully met its highest-ever peak power demand of 2,446 MW.
"The company will ensure seamless electricity supply amid the ongoing severe heatwave in Delhi. We have made adequate arrangements via both short- and long-term measures," a TPDDL spokeswoman stated.
To obtain electricity for the Capital, Delhi's discoms have over 40 power purchase agreements (PPA) with as many plants. A PPA is a long-term supply contract that is typically signed by a distributor or discom and an electricity provider.
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Furthermore, the discoms rely on machine learning technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) to precisely forecast loads, enabling Delhi to anticipate potential demand spikes. They also depend on the forecasts issued by the Met Department, the existing demand, the temperature, and whether a given day is a holiday or a working day.
The peak power demand this year was 16% more than the previous year's peak of 7,438 MW on August 22, according to Delhi Transco Limited (DTL), which oversees and maintains Delhi's high-transmission wire network and supplies power to distribution companies. A spokeswoman added, "Under the circumstances, the general public at large is requested to turn off all non-essential loads like lights, electrical appliances, or sign boards during peak-load hours at 2-4 pm and 10pm to 12:30 am in order to ensure safety and reliability of the power system in Delhi."
The spokesman continued, "In addition, it is requested that ACs be operated at 26–27°C during peak hours in order to conserve energy and manage peak demand in order to maintain the overall safety and dependability of the power system."
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- With inputs from agencies
