Delhi power demand reaches 7,398 MW, highest this season

The capital city experienced scorching weather conditions, leading to a surge in peak power demand. On a Friday afternoon, the peak power demand in Delhi reached an impressive 7,398 MW, marking the highest demand this year so far.

According to the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC) Delhi’s real-time data, this peak demand occurred at approximately 3:10 pm. The peak power demand is a measure of power consumption in megawatts at any given time within a 24-hour period.

Comparing the figures, the previous highest peak demand for this year was recorded at 7,226 MW on June 14. In June of the previous year, Delhi experienced its highest-ever peak power demand of 7,601 MW.

The power distribution companies (discoms) in the city anticipate the peak demand to reach 8,100 MW during this season. However, despite the challenging conditions, the demand was efficiently managed by the BSES discoms – BRPL and BYPL – in their respective distribution areas, as confirmed by a company spokesperson.

Similarly, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd (TPDDL) reported a successful management of the peak demand, which reached 2,163 MW in their distribution area, without any network constraints or power outages.

It is worth noting that this year, the peak power demand surpassed the 7,000 MW mark for the first time on June 13 and has crossed this threshold twice already in July.

Going back to 2018, the peak power demand in Delhi breached the 7,000 MW mark for the first time, reaching a peak of 7,016 MW.

To cope with the increasing demand and ensure reliable power supply, the BSES discoms have made strategic arrangements. These include long-term power and banking agreements with other states such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, allowing them to access up to 630 MW of power through these arrangements.

Additionally, BSES discoms have been incorporating green power sources to maintain a stable power supply during the summer months. Approximately 888 MW of solar power, 486 MW of wind power, and 40 MW from waste-to-energy plants contribute to this green power initiative in BSES areas. (With inputs from PTI)