Delhi power demand reaches 6,780 MW, highest of the season

Delhi's peak power demand hit the highest level of the season, reaching 6780 MW at 3:26 pm on Thursday, according to data from the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC).

This marks the highest power demand recorded so far this year. 

Comparatively, each day of May 2024 has seen higher peak power demand than May 2023, with last year's demand clocking in at 5781 MW during the first 16 days of May.

The scorching weather in Delhi this season has significantly influenced the power demand, evident even in April 2024 compared to April 2023.

During April 2024, peak power demand in Delhi ranged between 3809 MW and 5447 MW, whereas April 2023 saw demand fluctuating between 3388 MW and 5422 MW.

Notably, peak power demand was higher on 83 percent of the corresponding days in April 2024 as compared to April 2023, with variations of up to 32 percent, showcasing the weather's impact on the city's electricity consumption patterns.

While peak power demand in April 2024 and April 2023 has reduced compared to 2022, when it ranged from 4170 MW to 6197 MW, the recent surge can be attributed to increased usage of air conditioning and coolers due to the hot weather amid the rising temperature in Delhi.

According to data, peak power demand in the supplier BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL) area of South and West Delhi is expected to reach around 3679 MW in the summer of 2024, compared to 3250 MW and 3389 MW in 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Similarly, in the BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL) area of East and Central Delhi, peak power demand is projected to touch around 1857 MW this year, up from 1670 MW and 1752 MW in 2023 and 2022, respectively.