Peak power demand of Odisha hit record high of 6,762 MW on May 28

The average summer demand of the state was about 5,200 MW to 5,300 MW in 2023 which went up sharply from 5,800 MW to 5,900 MW, registering a growth of around 12 per cent.

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BHUBANESWAR: As the state reels under an unprecedented heatwave condition and coastal Odisha sizzles under sweltering temperatures, the peak power demand touched a record high of 6,762 MW and the instantaneous peak demand reached 7,035 MW on May 28 this year.

The average summer demand of the state was about 5,200 MW to 5,300 MW in 2023 which went up sharply to 5,800 MW to 5,900 MW, registering a growth of around 12 per cent.

The maximum power demand of Odisha this year reached a record breaking peak demand of 6,705 MW on April 30. With the mercury soaring high during the month of May, the maximum power demand reached 6,762 MW at 3 pm on May 28, an all-time high in the state. The instantaneous peak demand on the day was 7,035 MW at 2.49 pm. Unusually, the morning peak demand on the day at 9 am was 5,693 MW.

Peak demand is determined by the highest kilowatt hour (Kwh) usage in any 15-minute demand interval within a billing month. The real ‘peak demand’ is a result of having a 15-minute interval where there were coincidental maximum number of loads operating simultaneously.

The instantaneous peak demand is a sudden spike for a brief period time within a 15-minute interval in a day. It is averaged out as somewhat of a glitch because it happens for a very small period like few seconds, said a senior staff of the State Load Despatch Centre (SLDC).

Attributing the sudden load growth of 600 MW during the summer months due to use of more number of air conditioners by individual households to beat the heat, managing director of Grid Corporation of Odisha Limited (GRIDCO) Trilochan Panda said the bulk power trading utility has met the power demand of the state despite outage of one unit of 800 MW of Darlipalli Super Thermal Power Station in Sundargarh district. Odisha’s share from the NTPC’s Darlipalli unit is 50 per cent.

Panda said the Odisha Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC) came to the rescue of the state by meeting the peak demand of power from its hydro stations. While the average power supply from OHPC’s hydro stations is 600 MW, it provided 1,288 MW in the evening peak hour on May 31.

Besides, GRIDCO is getting firm power of 150 MW from Madhya Pradesh through power banking system. The state is also getting 15-20 MW from Arunachal Pradesh under the power banking arrangement.