NEW DELHI: A day after reaching an all-time high of 7,717 MW, Delhi’s peak power demand soared further on Wednesday, touching the 8,000 MW mark for the first time in history.
“Today at around 3:42 pm, Delhi’s peak power demand clocked 8,000 MW, the highest ever in the history of the national capital,” a Discom official said. The record set the previous day saw demand first reaching 7,717 MW in the afternoon and later 7,726 MW by 11:01 pm.
AAP minister Atishi assured residents of a reliable power supply despite the increased demand. “The Delhi government is providing electricity for 24 hours. There is no load shedding or blackouts anywhere. Even in this scorching heat, the power supply has been continuous, just like it has been for the last 9 years,” she said at a press conference.
Emphasizing the improvements made in power management since 2014, Atishi said, “In the summer of 2014, Delhi faced heat waves with a peak demand of 5,925 MW and lengthy blackouts. But today, even after a demand of 8,000 MW, electricity is available in Delhi for 24 hours.”
She also pointed out the power issues in neighbouring states. “In the last three days of the heatwave, the states surrounding Delhi are facing long power cuts. Everywhere there is a BJP government, long power cuts are there,” Atishi added.
With temperatures steadily rising, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heat wave conditions across many parts of Delhi, with some areas facing severe conditions. Discom officials anticipate the city’s peak power demand to climb even higher this summer, potentially reaching around 8,200 MW.