Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the country’s top power consumer this Diwali, setting a new national benchmark with record electricity usage of 1,490 lakh units in 24 hours, surpassing states such as Haryana, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan.
According to data from the Northern Regional Load Despatch Centre (NRLDC), Uttar Pradesh ranked first with 1,490 lakh units of power consumed in a single day. Haryana followed with 1,390 lakh units, while Punjab, Delhi, and Rajasthan registered 880 lakh, 830 lakh, and 560 lakh units, respectively.
Officials attributed the spike in consumption to festive activities, lighting displays, and increased domestic and industrial demand. All major thermal power plants in Sonbhadra district were running at near-maximum capacity to meet the surge. Units under the Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam, NTPC, and private producers maintained full-scale generation.
At Anpara, generation remained strong across all units — Anpara A (1,630 MW) produced 1,364 MW, Anpara B (1,000 MW) 900 MW, and Anpara D (1,000 MW) 931 MW. The Obra C plant (1,320 MW) supplied 1,200 MW, while Obra B (1,000 MW) delivered 522 MW. In the private sector, Lanco’s 1,200 MW plant generated 722 MW. NTPC’s Rihand and Singrauli Super Thermal Power Stations, each with a 3,000 MW and 2,000 MW capacity respectively, were both operating close to full load.
Last year’s Diwali peak demand was around 23,000 MW. This year, it touched nearly 21,000 MW on Diwali eve and stayed between 17,000 and 18,000 MW during the day. Officials expect demand to remain above 20,000 MW until Chhath Puja due to continued festive and household usage.
The spike also strained the state’s transmission infrastructure. Several 765 kV and 400 kV transmission lines ran above rated capacity, with the Lucknow line transmitting 792 kV and the Meerut line 795 kV. In eastern Uttar Pradesh, the Gorakhpur line recorded 408 kV, while Bareilly’s twin 400 kV lines operated at 415 kV each.
Despite the heavy load, power supply across the state remained stable. Energy department officials confirmed that backup generation and emergency teams were deployed to prevent disruptions. Consumers were also provided with a helpline number, 8960697062, for immediate assistance in case of faults.
The record consumption underscores Uttar Pradesh’s growing energy demand, fueled by industrial expansion, urbanization, and festive consumption.
Officials said the steady power supply during such a peak period reflected improvements in the state’s generation and transmission capacity.