Delhi’s power demand sets a new record at 8,600MW amid severe heatwave

Tuesday was the 30th consecutive day that Delhi’s peak power demand was over 7,000MW – the longest such streak for the Capital, showed discom data.

Delhi’s peak power demand on Tuesday afternoon touched a record 8,647 megawatts (MW) amid a suffocating heatwave that has kept temperatures locked several degrees above normal for days.

The Capital’s power demand first crossed the 8,000mw mark on May 22. (HT File)

Tuesday afternoon’s demand, recorded at 3.22pm, eclipsed the previous high of 8,302MW on May 29 this year, according to Delhi’s State Load Despatch Centre (SLDC), numbers well beyond authorities’ estimates in the run-up to summer. The Capital’s power demand first crossed the 8,000mw mark on May 22.

It was also the 30th consecutive day that Delhi’s peak power demand was over 7,000MW – the longest such streak for the Capital, showed discom data.

The national capital has been ensnared in its third heatwave spell this summer, with the current streak going back 10 days to June 9 In that time, Delhi’s night temperatures have also soared far beyond normal, with six consecutive “warm nights” – the longest such spell in 12 years.

A discom official said these were unprecedented highs, with Delhi’s power demand record before 2024 being 7,695MW – on June 29, 2022. Discoms in April had estimated the city’s peak demand would touch around 8,200MW this summer, a prediction that has now been surpassed.

“Tuesday was the 30th day in a row Delhi’s peak power demand crossed 7,000 MW. Despite this, Delhi’s power distribution network has been able to cope up with such a high demand,” said an official.

BSES subsidiaries BRPL and BYPL, which supply electricity to parts of south, west, east and central Delhi, said they met peak demands of 3,750MW and 1,858MW, respectively, on Tuesday, said a spokesperson.

Tata Power DDL (TPDDL), which supplies power to north and northwest Delhi, said it successfully met its highest ever peak power demand of 2,446MW around the same time.

“The company has made adequate arrangements via long-term and short-term measures and will ensure seamless electricity supply amid the ongoing severe heatwave in Delhi,” said a TPDDL spokesperson.

Delhi’s discoms have over 40 power purchase agreements (PPA) with as many plants to source electricity for the Capital. A PPA is a long-term supply agreement, often signed between an electricity producer and a distributor or discom.

In addition, the discoms lean on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning models to accurately predict loads, allowing Delhi to pre-empt a possible spike in demand. They also depend on the Met department’s forecasts, the prevailing temperature, the current demand as well as whether a particular day is a holiday or a working day.

Delhi Transco Limited (DTL), which manages and maintains the high-transmission wire network in Delhi and provides power supply to distribution companies, said this peak power demand was 16% higher than last year’s peak of 7,438 MW on August 22. “Under the circumstances, for ensuring safety and reliability of the power system in Delhi, the general public at large is requested to put off all the non-essential loads like lights, electrical appliances or sign boards during peak-load hours at 2-4 pm and 10pm to 12:30 am,” said a spokesperson.

“Further, it is also requested that ACs be run at 26-27°C during peak hours for energy conservation and to control the peak demand in the overall safety and reliability of the power system,” the spokesperson added.