Demand and consumption of power go up in Coimbatore region

In the Coimbatore region, the demand and consumption of power have increased since the beginning of February this year compared to the previous three years in the same period, with the rise in temperatures.Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL), Coimbatore region, chief engineer P Sureshkumar said consumption increased from 57.4 million units (MU) in the first week of March to 63.05 MU on April 29. Data from TNPDCL showed that peak power demand touched 3,109 MW on April 29. The average demand has been hovering around 2,954 MW and average consumption at 59.63 MU in this period. Industry representatives, however, flagged concerns over recent power disruptions. Coimbatore and Tirupur District Micro and Cottage Enterprises Association (COTMA) president C Sivakumar said industries suffered production losses after facing power disruptions for nearly four days last week, with outages lasting more than eight hours in some places. He said the interruptions, triggered by rain and strong winds, exposed delays in restoration work, which officials attributed to staff shortage. The association has submitted a representation to chief minister C Joseph Vijay seeking steps to address the issue, he said. Responding to complaints about fluctuations and frequent outages since the beginning of May, Sureshkumar said maintenance shutdown works had been suspended during the election and examination period. He said maintenance works have now resumed, and the situation is expected to improve in the coming days. Sureshkumar said that after Chennai and Kanchipuram, the Coimbatore region records one of the highest levels of electricity consumption in Tamil Nadu. Despite being an industrial hub with a rising number of domestic consumers, the region has also seen strong growth in rooftop solar adoption due to sustained awareness campaigns by TNPDCL. On average, around 5% of new electricity connections are added every month, with domestic connections accounting for the majority. Coimbatore district now ranks first in the state in household rooftop solar connections, with 8,856 such connections, a number that has risen steadily over the past few years. Officials said the PM Surya Ghar scheme has helped accelerate adoption after initial hurdles were gradually resolved. C Umapathy, a resident of Peelamedu Pudur, said his family installed a 3-kW rooftop solar system more than a year ago and now pays only about Rs 200 as network charges. He said the family of six, which uses three air-conditioners, a refrigerator, heater and computer system, also received the Rs 78,000 subsidy within two months and is planning to buy an electric vehicle as surplus solar power is being generated.