Delhi’s power demand hits all-time high

As the temperature soars, the Capital’s demand for power broke previous records and reached an all-time country-wide high on Monday.

“Delhi’s peak power demand on Monday touched 6,361 MW at 3.06 pm, highest ever recorded in the national capital. This is 12 per cent more than the peak power demand of 5,673 MW recorded on the same day last year,” an official told BusinessLine.

Delhi’s peak power demand is also the highest peak power demand recorded in any city in India. The previous record was 6,261 MW recorded on July 1, 2016. To offset this demand, Delhi’s discoms have signed long-term power purchase agreements and banking arrangements with states.

Delhi’s increasing power demand, crossing the 6,300 MW mark, reflects positively on the capital’s distribution and transmission system. On May 15, Delhi’s peak power demand had crossed the 6,000 MW for the first time in 2017 – clocking 6,021 MW at 3.32 pm. This was the highest peak power demand for May 2017.

Delhi’s power demand is almost thrice that of Kolkata (around 2,100 MW), over twice of Mumbai (3,700 MW), four times the demand of Chennai (1,500-1,800 MW).

Compared with the states, Delhi’s demand alone is nearly four times the demand of Himachal Pradesh (1,500 MW), two-and-a-half times the demand of the seven North-East states taken together (around 2,500 MW) and almost one-and-a-half times the peak power demand of Odisha (around 4,000 MW).

Peak power demand in south and west Delhi areas served by BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd reached 2,669 MW during the summers of 2016. This year, demand from there is expected to touch around 2,800 MW.

In BSES Yamuna Power Ltd-served areas of east and central Delhi, the peak power demand touched 1,493 MW last year. This year, the demand is expected to touch around 1,600 MW.