CHENNAI: Chennai’s electricity demand touched 5,014 MW on Wednesday, the highest ever recorded in the city, surpassing the previous peak of 4,852 MW set just weeks earlier on May 22.
This comes amidst the city already grappling with frequent power outages. When the city was drawing around 4,200-4,400 MW last June, officials said an 8-10% year-on-year increase is generally expected due to commercial and housing expansion, urbanisation and the penetration of air conditioners.
However, the demand has gone up by roughly 14-19% this time around, which officials said could be due to the persisting heat which has carried over from May.
Chennai has recorded maximum temperatures hovering around 40°C for several days in recent weeks, with IMD data showing temperatures remaining above normal across the city.
A senior TNPDCL official said that although summer has officially ended, the heat wave’s impact continues to be felt across the city. Increased use of household appliances, particularly ACs, has driven the steady climb in consumption. Demand is expected to ease gradually as the southwest monsoon advances in the coming weeks.
The power utility said a few complaints related to night-time outages were received on Wednesday. Inspections identified locations where transformers need to be replaced or upgraded to handle the growing load. Efforts are also being taken to prevent damage to underground cables during road-cutting works conducted by government departments and service agencies, the release added.