Capital struggles with stifling heat, power demand soars

Several parts of the city witnessed power cuts as electricity demand touched an all-time high of 5214 MW on Friday.

Several parts of the city witnessed power cuts as electricity demand touched an all-time high of 5214 MW on Friday.

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Although the power department claimed they met the demand successfully, several areas of the city, especially those in South, Central and West Delhi, reported power cuts of varying durations.“It is impossible to survive in such hot conditions. Eerratic power supply is making things worse. Power distribution companies have made no arrangements it seems,” said Amrita Nagpal, a resident of Greater Kailash I.

Power department officials maintained though there were no technical snags or problems in grids, the power cuts took place due to local faults in distribution network maintained by distribution companies.

“Various areas have been facing power cuts of up to five hours primarily due to breakdown of the distribution network when the demand goes up. The power distribution companies were pulled up by the government over this few days back,” said a senior official.

Power department officials said that supply was restored in west Delhi at 7am after a major snag in a conductor of Delhi Transco Limited at Papankalan.