Summer's here, Delhi power demand shows alarming rise

Peak electricity usage is five per cent more than this time last year

With the onset of summer, Delhi’s power demand too is inching up. On Thursday, Delhi’s peak  demand was 4,633 megawatts, five per cent more than the corresponding figure of 4,423 MW last year.

However, there is still time before it crosses last year's high. Delhi's peak power demand had reached an all-time high of 5,028 MW in August last year.

In East and Central Delhi areas, where BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL) supplies electricity, the power demand in May itself has surpassed all previous records – across all months. On Thursday, the demand in these areas reached an all-time high of 1,237 MW, surpassing the highest so far of 1,195 MW recorded last August.
BYPL CEO Ramesh Narayanan said,  “While there is no load shedding in our area, tremendous growth in east Delhi is also the reason behind the incessant growth of power demand.”
He said the peak power demand, which reached 1,195 MW during the summer of 2011, is expected to be around 1,350 MW this summer.
Narayanan assured that his power distribution company was set to provide uninterrupted power supply in the months ahead. But he also urged people to save electricity.
“Though the company is fully geared up to ensure adequate power supply during these summer months, as responsible citizens each one of us should strive our best to conserve electricity. Consumers should remember that it takes almost one kilogramme of coal to produce just one unit of power, which also has an adverse impact on  environment,” he said.