CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu’s power demand has surged close to the 19,000 MW-mark well ahead of peak summer. According to data from the Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation Ltd accessed by TNIE, peak power demand touched 18,955 MW on Friday. Power consumption stood at 396.403 million units (MU) on Thursday. During the same period last year, peak demand was 15,070 MW, indicating a sharp year-on-year jump.
Officials said demand is expected to rise further in the coming months due to higher commercial activity, rising summer temperature and election-related work across the state. With the state preparing for the Assembly elections, authorities are closely monitoring supply to ensure uninterrupted power during the crucial period.
A senior official of the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) told TNIE that the Southern Regional Power Committee has projected that Tamil Nadu’s demand could reach 23,000 MW during the summer months this year.
“At present, we are receiving around 100 MUs regularly from state-owned generating stations and another 100 MUs as the centre’s share. Solar power is also supporting us during summer, with nearly 40 MUs available during peak noon hours. Hence, we are confident of meeting the summer demand. The discom has also signedagreements with private players to procure 2,000 MW through short-term tenders,” the official said.
He added that state-run thermal power plants are operating at full capacity after completion of maintenance work. However, though the North Chennai Stage III thermal power plant began commercial operations in January, full-scale generation has not commenced due to pending technical work.
Last summer, many consumers complained of frequent power fluctuations and low voltage. Explaining this, another official said that electricity use, especially of air-conditioners and other appliances, increases sharply during summer. “Power fluctuation and voltage issues cannot be fully avoided when demand peaks. However, we have upgraded several transformers and completed power line segregation work in many areas. This will help reduce such problems to some extent,” an official said.