Peak power demand in city zooms past 400MW as mercury soars

Chandigarh: With the heat wave intensifying, power demand is reaching its peak. Between May 1 and May 17, peak power demand increased from 265MW to 326MW. On May 18, it reached 386 MW and on May 19, it was recorded at 414 MW.Last year, on May 20, peak power demand was 425 MW and on May 21 it was 434 MW.“Use of heavy power consuming appliances like air conditioners increases with increasing temperature. Also, this usage spreads all over the day rather than a few periods of the day,” said a UT official.Peak power demand crossed the 300 MW mark on May 11. Since then, it has remained above 300 MW. Generally, power demand cross the 400 MW mark in June.Last June, the city witnessed unprecedented spike in electricity consumption, with power demand reaching an all-time high of 465 MW on June 12. On June 11, peak demand reached a staggering 452 MW, an all-time record for the city.Box:A day after recording the season’s hottest day at 42 degrees Celsius, Chandigarh turned even hotter on Tuesday, with maximum temperature rising to 43 degrees Celsius. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for heatwave conditions and warned residents of tougher days ahead.BOX: Peak power demand in May 2025, 2026May 2026Date | Peak DemandMay 1 - 265 MWMay 2- 269 MWMay 3- 237 MWMay 4- 252 MWMay 5- 239 MWMat 6- 249 MWMay 7- 242 MWMay 8- 260 MWMay 9- 269 MWMay 10- 271 MWMay 11- 315 MWMay 12- 303 MWMay 13- 323 MWMay 14- 313 MWMay 15- 320 MWMay 16- 307 MWMay 17- 326 MWMay 18 - 386 MWMay 19 - 414 MW-----------------------------May 2025May 1 - 315May 2 - 249May 3 - 263May 4 - 231May 5 - 245May 6 - 247May 7 - 254May 8 - 271May 9 - 269May 10 - 250May 11 - 253May 12 - 279May 13 - 325May 14 - 338May 15 - 365May 16 - 330May 17 - 333May 18 - 348