Delhi’s logs highest power demand of season, crosses 8,000 megawatt amid intense heat

Before this, the peak power demand crossed the 8,000mw mark only in May 2024, during a particularly gruelling summer for the national capital.

The Capital’s peak power demand surged past 8,000mw for the first time this season on Wednesday, the earliest it has crossed this threshold, as a persistent heatwave ensnares Delhi.

Delhi’s peak power demand usually crosses 8,000mw only in June or July, according to historical data from the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC). (File Image)

The power demand peaked at 8,039mw at 3.35pm on Wednesday.

Before this, the peak power demand crossed the 8,000mw mark only in May 2024, during a particularly gruelling summer for the Capital. That year, it touched the mark first on May 22 (8,000mw) and then every day from May 29 to May 31. It continued to gradually rise further in June in 2024, touching Delhi’s all time peak of 8,656mw on June 19.

Delhi’s peak power demand usually crosses 8,000mw only in June or July, according to historical data from the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC). In 2023, for instance, the May peak was 6,916mw. In 2022, it was 7,070mw and in 2021 it was 4,959mw.

BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL) and BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL) met the peak power demand of 3,665mw and 1,753mw, respectively, in their areas.

BSES officials said the company is prepared to ensure reliable power supply to over 5.3 million consumers and nearly 22.5 million residents across South, West, East and Central Delhi. “The arrangements include long-term PPAs, bilateral tie-ups, banking arrangements with other states and advanced technologies to accurately estimate load and maintain uninterrupted supply,” said a BSES official.

Peak power demand is expected to touch close to 9,000mw this year, SLDC projections show.

power demand

Tata Power DDL, which supplies power to parts of north and northwest Delhi, also said it met its peak season demand of 2,249mw.

“Tata Power-DDL has undertaken measures such as bilateral agreements, reserve shutdown mechanisms, and participation in power exchanges to ensure uninterrupted power supply during the peak demand season,” a spokesperson said.

Delhi’s peak power demand this year has remained consistently higher than previous years. Till May 20, 2026, Delhi recorded a peak power demand of 8,039mw, compared to 7,533mw during the same period in 2025; 7,591mw in 2024; 5,953mw in 2023 and 7,070mw in 2022.

Between May 1 and 20, Delhi’s peak power demand was higher than the corresponding days of 2025 on 15 out of 20 days. Compared to 2024, Delhi’s peak demand in 2026 was higher on 13 out of 20 days, the data showed.