Power demand at all-time high of 4,030 MW

The power demand in the city crossed the 4,000-MW mark on Monday,an all-time high, reports Moushumi Das Gupta.

The power demand in the city crossed the 4,000-MW mark on Monday, an all-time high. Residents had to endure another powerless day with some units of the city’s power plants tripping yet again. The peak power demand was 4,030 MW while the city experienced a shortfall of 400 MW.

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The situation is likely to worsen in the coming days. Energy experts fear that if the demand-supply gap continues like this, it might endanger the stability of the Northern Grid. “Already the nine northern states are overdrawing power from the Northern Grid. Repeated warnings by the Northern Region Load Dispatch Centre (NRLDC) seems to be having little affect. If the states continue to overdraw like this, it might lead to a grid collapse, plunging the entire northern region into darkness,” said a power department official.

On Monday too, due to the tripping of a transmission line between Rihand and Dadri in the afternoon, NRLDC had directed Delhi to shed load to the extent of 150 MW.

Almost all parts of the city — Patparganj, Mayur Vihar, Pandav Nagar, Geeta Colony. Daryaganj, Chandni Chowk, Model town, Civil Lines, South Extension, Greater Kailash, Tagore Garden and Dwarka, among others — went without power for six to ten hours.

The Power Department has swung into action to avert a situation like last year, when Delhi reeled under 1,000 MW shortage. “We are trying to get additional power from Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) and barter with Madhya Pradesh for about 100 MW. However, this arrangement will be subject to availability of the transmission corridor between Eastern to Northern Region and between Western to Northern Region respectively,” said a power department official.