Breaking Records: Delhi’s Peak Power Demand Touches All-Time High at 8,647 MW Amid Intense Heat

With no relief from heat in the national capital and the temperature soaring between 40-45 degree Celsius, the peak power demand has surpassed all the previous records as it touched 8,647 MW at 3:22 pm on Tuesday.

The peak power demand first crossed all the records at 2:51 pm on Tuesday when it touched 8,560 MW – highest ever, as per the data available from the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC). Minutes later, around 3 pm, it crossed the 8,600 MW-mark and soon it touched 8,647 MW by 3:22 pm.

The peak power demand in Delhi first touched the 8,000 MW-mark on May 22, at 3:42 pm. This was the first time that the peak power demand was this high. Since then, on five days – May 29 (8,302 MW), May 30 (8,091 MW), May 21 (8,032 MW) June 14 (8,220 MW) and June 17 (8,236 MW) – the peak power demand crossed the mark.

On at least six days between May 22 and June 18, the city’s peak power demand was above 7,900 MW.

Consistent Rise in Peak Power Demand

The city first crossed the 6,000 MW-demand mark in 2016-17. The peak power demand that year was 6,261 on July 1, 2016.

The next year, it touched 6,553 MW and in 2018-19 it was 7,016 MW on July 10, 2018. It was the first time in the city’s history that the peak power demand surpassed the 7,000 MW mark.

It took four years for the peak power demand to surpass the 7,500MW-mark. In 2022-23, the city’s peak power demand was 7,695 MW. On June 29, 2022, the city’s peak power demand touched 7,695 MW at 3:33 pm. In 2023-24, the city’s peak power demand was 7,438 MW on August 22, 2023.

In 2020-21, when the country witnessed the Covid-induced lockdown, the peak power demand in the city was 6,314 MW and the next year, it touched 7,323 MW.

Currently, the Power Department in Delhi is headed by Atishi.

On May 21, when the peak power demand touched 7,717 MW – also a record, she said that the government successfully met the peak power demand and was ready even if it crossed 8000 MW.

“Despite that peak demand, we are giving 24-hour electricity. There is no load shedding and no blackouts. I would like to recall that in 2014 when Delhi was reeling under a heatwave, the peak power demand had reached 5925 MW. At that time, there were six to eight-hour-long blackouts,” she had said.

The maximum temperature in the city had been above 40 degree Celsius since June 1 and the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted some relief for the city with thunderstorm, lightning & gusty winds in the next two days.