NEW DELHI: The national capital’s peak power demand on Wednesday breached the previous records to clock season’s highest at --- 7,334 megawatts (MW) --- which is also the highest ever record for the month of June.
With the city experiencing recurring heat waves over the past three months, the power demand has been climbing up, said officials. “Today at 3:35 pm, the city’s peak power demand not only clocked the season’s highest of 7,334 MW, but also the highest ever in the month of June,” said a senior discom official.
As per power records, the peak power demand breached the 7,000 MW mark with 7,070 MW on May 19. Since then it has crossed the 7,000 MW mark six times this June while clocking the highest on Wednesday.
After a day’s gap, the heat wave returned to parts of the city on Wednesday, as rain gave it a miss. Even as the state weather department predicted light rainfall and gusty winds to occur in Delhi-NCR on June 15, it did not take place.
“The power demand crossed the 6,000 MW mark this June every day. In 2021, it crossed the 6,000 MW mark on nine occasions through the month, five times in 2020 and thrice in 2019,” the official said.
According to the officials, the cooling load which included the usage of air conditioners, coolers and fans is the major reason behind Delhi’s power load, accounting for almost around 50 per cent of the power demand in summers. “This year the peak demand is expected to be up to 8,200 MW to make a new record. In 2021 it was 7,323 MW; in 2020 it was 6314 MW; in 2019 it was 7,409 MW and in 2018 it was 7,016 MW,” the official said.
Delhi’s record peak power demand in June (in MW)
2022– 7,334 (Till June 15)
2021– 6,921 (June 30)
2020– 6,314 (June 29)
2019– 6,769 (June 29)