Delhi: Peak power demand crosses 7,000 megawatt-mark for May month

Delhi power demand news: Amid increasing temperatures in the national capital, Delhi's power demand continues a northwards climb, creating new records. Bombay Suburban Electric Supply (BSES) on Friday (May 20) attributed cooling load as the reason behind an increase in the power demand.

On Thursday night at around 11:24 pm, the city's peak power demand not only clocked the season's highest at 7070 MW, but also the highest ever in the month of May. According to the Discom's estimates, almost around 50 per cent of Delhi's power demand in summers is because of the cooling load (ACs + Coolers + Fans).

The rain had a direct bearing on the cooling load. As per Discom wise peak power demand last night, this is only the fourth year in Delhi's history, when the national capital's peak power demand has breached the 7000 MW.

"It breached the 7,000 mark for the first time in 2018 (July 10), when it clocked 7016 MW. The following year (2019), it clocked 7409 MW (July 2), the highest ever recorded in the history of Delhi. In 2020, it did not cross the 7,000 MW and peaked at 6314 MW. In 2021 (July 2), the city's peak power demand clocked 7323 MW. This year, the expected peak power demand of around 8200 MW is an increase of around 285 per cent over the peak power demand of 2879 MW in 2002," they said.

More figures on national capital's power consumption:

Further, it was informed that Delhi's peak power demand has increased by 10 per cent since May 1, and since April 1, Delhi's peak power demand has increased by over 58 per cent.

This is the 15th time in 20 days of May that the national capital's peak power demand has crossed 6000 MW.As per the Discom, Delhi's peak power demand in May had never crossed the 6000 MW in 2021 and 2020. In 2019, it had crossed the 6000 MW mark only on three occasions - May 29 (6020 MW), May 30 (6240 MW) and May 31 (6461 MW).

In May so far, the peak power demand has been higher on 100 per cent of the corresponding days of May of 2021, 2020 and 2019."Earlier, in April 2022, the peak power demand had been higher on 100 per cent of the corresponding days' vis-a-vis that of April 2021, 2020 and 2019.

April data:

Moreover, on seven occasions in April 2022, Delhi's peak power demand clocked the highest ever in April, each breaking the previous record in quick succession. On April 19, it was 5735 MW, 5761 MW on April 20, 5781 MW on August 21, 5786 MW on April 27, 6050 MW on April 28 and 6197 on April 29 and 6036 MW on April 30," the Discom said.As a relief from the scorching heat, rains in parts of Delhi today resulted in a dip in temperature.

Earlier on Thursday (May19), the maximum temperature rose to 43.6 degrees, three degrees above normal, at Safdarjung, the city's base weather station. However, relief is expected from Saturday (May 21) as India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted rain along with gusty winds from May 21 to 24.

(With ANI inputs)