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Chandigarh saw 13.8% spike in power demand this summer
Officials say increase in industrial and commercial activity between April and June this year pushed up consumption
The city has recorded a 13.8% jump in electricity demand this summer, compared to last year. As per the ministry of power reply submitted in the Lok Sabha on Thursday regarding power demand in the country, demand of 352 million units was recorded in Chandigarh from April to June 2020. This year, it has shot up to 400 million units for the same period.
Last year, for most of the summer months, there was a lockdown amid the pandemic outbreak. Even when restrictions were eased, commercial and industrial activity remained very low. “This year, even though the second Covid wave resulted in lockdown, it not as strict or comprehensive as last year. This pushed the demand up,” said a UT engineering department official
This year, peak power demand also increased. “The demand for electricity increases in summer, but it has reached its peak in July. Demand reached 426 MW on July 8, which is the maximum this summer,” said the official.
Notably, 2019 had seen the city breaking its all-previous records of power consumption, with peak demand touching 431 MW. In 2018, it was 404 MW
While engineering department officials maintain that the city had adequate power supply, erratic supply was reported from several areas this time. The worst-affected areas were southern sectors, rehabilitation colonies and villages.
Many in the electricity department blamed the ongoing process of handing over the department to private hands for the power supply problems.
“With all attention on privatisation, the UT administration either postponed or denied permission to buy necessary equipment to improve the quality of electricity supply network in the city for around two years. This has impacted the department’s ability to supply disruption free power,” said an engineering department official.
