CHENNAI: With the northeast monsoon bringing heavy rainfall, the state’s power demand has dropped over the past few days. According to Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) data, the state’s power demand stood at around 11,651MW on Wednesday, much lower than the usual average of 15,000MW. This has led to the corporation lowering thermal power generation by nearly 50%.
A senior official from TNPDCL said that the drop in demand is mainly due to the reduced use of air conditioners and agricultural motors.
“In Chennai city, the electricity demand, which was 3,694MW on October 13, came down to 2,659MW by Tuesday, a fall of 1,035MW in a week,” the official told TNIE.
He said that similar trends were observed in other districts too, particularly in western and southern regions of TN where continuous rain has reduced the need for irrigation pumps. The state’s overall power consumption is likely to continue to remain on the lower side during the monsoon period.
Following this dip in consumption, the corporation has scaled down thermal power generation by almost 50%. “On Wednesday, the state generated 2,037 MW from its thermal stations, against the combined capacity of 4,320 MW. Interestingly, despite overcast skies, the solar generation stood at 1,679 MW, thanks to intermittent sunshine between spells of rain,” the official added.
Another senior official said that field staff and engineers have been instructed to treat safety as the top priority this monsoon. “In recent days, there have been reports of electrocutions. We have instructed our workers to use safety gear such as gloves and earth rods, and to ensure that power lines are completely switched off before starting any repair work,” the official said.
The department has also urged the public to stay cautious near electrical installations. “People should avoid going near transformers, electric poles, junction boxes, and pillar boxes during rains,” the official said.
The public has been advised to inform local bodies or TNPDCL helplines if tree branches or poles are found fallen on power lines, in order to be rectified.
