Scorching heat pushes Delhi's peak power demand to this season's highest of 6,916 MW

Cooling load is the main reason behind Delhi's power load. In fact, according to estimates, almost around 50 percent of Delhi's power demand in summers is because of the cooling load of air-conditioners, coolers and fans, they said.

New Delhi: As Delhi reeled under a scorching heatwave on Tuesday, its peak power demand rose to 6,916 MW, the highest this summer, discom officials said. Delhi's power demand is steadily increasing after remaining muted in much of April and May, they said. At 3:31 pm on Tuesday, it clocked 6,916 MW, the highest this season and surpassing the peak power demand 6,532 MW on Monday, discom officials said.

Cooling load is the main reason behind Delhi's power load. In fact, according to estimates, almost around 50 percent of Delhi's power demand in summers is because of the cooling load of air-conditioners, coolers and fans, they said. A punishing heatwave battered parts of Delhi with seven out of the 22 weather stations in the capital recording maximum temperatures above the 45-degree mark.

The city had recorded a peak power demand of 7,695 MW last summer and it might reach 8,100 MW this year, they said. The peak power demand in the areas covered by the discoms BRPL and BYPL, was 2,934 MW and 1,525 MW respectively, a BSES spokesperson said.

"It was successfully met. This month Delhi's peak power demand has seen huge variations. It has increased from 3,644 MW on May 1 to 6,916 MW today an increase of 3,272 MW or 89 per cent," the spokesperson said. A Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL) spokesperson said that the discom "successfully" met the peak demand of 2,012 MW on the day.

The discom officials said on each of the days from May 1 to May 21, Delhi's peak power demand this year was lower than the corresponding days of May 2022. However, it was higher by 13 per cent on May 22 and 14 per cent on May 23 from the corresponding peak power demand of last year.

BSES discoms are geared up to ensure reliable power supply to meet the power demand of around two crore residents in south, west, east and central Delhi. These arrangements include long-term power purchase agreements and banking arrangements with other states, the BSES spokesperson said. (PTI)