CHENNAI: Amid election season, the rising summer heat and use of electric stoves, power consumption in Tamil Nadu has been steadily increasing over the past two weeks. The state’s electricity consumption rose from 357.949 million units (MU) on March 1 to 415.664 MU on March 14, registering an increase of 57.715 MU.
Officials of the power utility said the demand is expected to rise further in the coming weeks. According to them, the consumption could hit a new high by the end of this month. The all-time high power consumption in TN was recorded at 454.320 MU on April 30, 2024. Officials said that if the current trend continues, the state may near this mark by the end of this month.
A senior official from the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) told TNIE, “We are still assessing how much the demand will increase in the coming days. However, we are hopeful the situation can be managed without major difficulties.”
The state’s power distribution network includes around 4.5 lakh transformers and nearly 900 substations of 33/11kV capacity. “If demand rises suddenly, there may be voltage fluctuations or overloading in some areas,” the official added.
To meet rising demand, the state has already signed several agreements with private power producers. However, officials said that purchasing electricity from the power exchange may also become necessary. At present, the price of power in the exchange ranges between Rs 5 and Rs 9 per unit.
Another official said TN is currently receiving nearly 100 MU of electricity every day from the union government. “We have requested additional allocation, but the final decision lies with the centre,” he said.
