Peak power demand at all time high of 6,934 MW

NEW DELHI: In the midst of the sweltering heatwave, the peak power demand of the national Capital on Friday soared to an all-time high of 6,934 mega watt, figures released by the Delhi State Load Despatch Centre showed.

On June 1, the peak power demand had been recorded at 6,651 MW, breaking the previous record of 6,526 MW on June 6, 2017.

"Highest electricity load ever of 6934 MW At 15:28:33 Hrs today in Delhi. May cross 7000 MW this year," Delhi Power Minister Satyendar Jain tweeted on Friday.

This is the fourth time in the current month that last year's all-time high record of peak power demand of 6,526 MW has been broken, a spokesperson of power distribution company BSES said.

"In addition to today's highest level of 6,934 MW and the previous high of 6,651 MW on June 1, the peak power demand was 6,562 MW on June 5 and 6,568 MW on June 7," the spokesperson said.

The Delhi Power department and distribution companies expected the peak demand to breach 7,000 MW mark later this month.

Jain had earlier predicted the number to reach 7,000 MW, saying that enough electricity was available to meet the rising demand of the citizens.

Announcing the action plan for electricity supply arrangements in the summer months, Jain had in March said, "We have enough backhand arrangements to meet the power demand, that is expected to soar up to a historic 7,000 MW level in June."

This year, the peak power demand crossed the 6,000 MW-mark eight times, the BSES spokesperson said.

Earlier, in 2017, the peak power demand had crossed the 6,000 MW-mark only twice (6,021 MW on May 16 and 6,001 on May 26).

In 2016 too, the peak power demand had crossed the 6,000 MW-mark twice (6,044 on May 19 and 6,188 on May 20).

The fact that the city's power demand crossed 6,600 MW shows the robustness of the Capital's distribution and transmission system, which has been able to measure up, the spokesperson said.

The peak power demand in BSES discom BRPL areas – south and west Delhi – had reached 2,745 MW during the summers of 2017 and is expected to cross 2,880 MW this year.

In BYPL's areas of east and central Delhi, the peak power demand – which had reached 1,469 MW last year – is expected to touch around 1,670 MW, the spokesperson said.

Tata Power DDL, which supplies to north and north west Delhi, expects peak demand to touch 1,850 MW and said it has prior arrangements of meeting up to 2,200 MW power demand.