Delhi reports highest ever power demand at 7,601 MW

Delhi has been going through a heatwave over the past few weeks. The mercury was expected to settle around 41 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. The humidity has increased due to moist easterly winds which combined with temperatures of over 40°C made most locations unbearably sultry

National capital Delhi reported the highest ever power demand on Tuesday afternoon as the peak power demand soared to 7,601 MW, while the city turned unbearably sultry with high humidity and the temperature over 40 degrees Celsius. It crossed the previous record of highest power demand of 7,409 MW clocked on July 2, 2019, according to power department officials.

This is the first time this year that the peak power demand crossed the 7,000 MW mark in June. (HT PHOTO.)

“Today at 3:21 pm, the city’s peak power demand clocked the season’s highest of 7,601 MW. It was also the highest ever in Delhi in any month. The previous high in Delhi was 7,409 MW recorded on July 2, 2019,” said a senior power department official.

The official added that cooling load is the main reason behind Delhi’s increasing power load. “According to an estimate, around 50% of the Capital’s power demand in summers is because of the cooling load through ACs, desert coolers and fans,” said the official cited above.

Delhi has been going through a heatwave over the past few weeks. The mercury was expected to settle around 41 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. The humidity has increased due to moist easterly winds which combined with temperatures of over 40°C made most locations unbearably sultry. The mercury touched 40.2°C at 2.30 pm on Monday in Safdarjung, the base weather station, when humidity was at 45%, taking the heat index, or real feel, to 52°C, the highest so far this year.

“Before June 9, Delhi’s peak power demand had never crossed the 7,000 MW mark during the month. In fact, it has already crossed the 7,000 MW mark nine-times in June this year and once in May,” said an official.

This is the first time this year that the peak power demand crossed the 7,000 MW mark in June. On June 15, the highest power demand was 7,334 MW. The peak single-day demand for June last year was 6,921 MW which was recorded on June 30. In 2020, the demand hit the peak of 6,314 MW on June 29 and in 2019, it was 6,769 MW on June 29.

Delhi’s wet-bulb temperature was 32.11°C on Sunday, also the highest so far for the Capital this year. Both these measures are likely to remain high. Relief is expected from June 30.