Power demand likely to cross 3,000MW in Coimbatore this summer

Coimbatore: With the onset of summer, electricity consumption in the Coimbatore region has begun to rise and the peak demand is expected to cross 3,000MW in the coming months, according to officials of the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL).P Sureshkumar, chief engineer, TNPDCL, Coimbatore, said the power consumption in Coimbatore region - comprising Coimbatore, Tirupur and the Nilgiris districts - used to be 55 million units (MU) per day. The power consumption has increased to 57.4MU in the last four days, indicating a steady rise in temperature. The peak power demand has touched 2,860MW in this financial year (till March 8), according to data from the TNPDCL. Similarly, the peak demand stood at 2,682MW in April 2023, 2,900MW in April 2024 and 2,950MW in April 2025, underlining a gradual increase in electricity usage across the region. Sureshkumar said several steps have been taken to ensure uninterrupted power supply during the summer and state assembly election period. Special patrol teams have been deployed to immediately attend power interruptions, and officials have prepared a list of areas facing low voltage issues. Additional transformers have also been installed in such locations. He added that there will be no monthly shutdowns until the completion of public examinations and the election process, as major maintenance works were completed in February. In case of power interruptions, officials will first attempt back-feeding alternative lines to restore supply before carrying out repair works. Sureshkumar also pointed out that after Chennai and Kancheepuram, the Coimbatore region recorded one of the highest levels of electricity consumption in the state. On average, about 5,000 new electricity connections are provided every month, with domestic connections accounting for the majority. However, some industries have reported minor fluctuations. A Siva Shanmugakumar, president of the Coimbatore Tiny and Small Foundry Owners Association (COSMAFAN), said there have been short power fluctuations and brief outages lasting a few minutes between 4pm and 8pm. "However, because of the ongoing public examinations and elections, we have not faced any major power interruptions so far," he said. Meanwhile, Jawahar Subramaniyam, a resident of an apartment at Selvapuram, said there has been no major power cut so far, but electricity bills for the same level of consumption have increased by around 25% compared to six months ago. J Radhakrishnan, additional chief secretary and chairman and managing director of Tamil Nadu Electricity Board Limited, said, "For the next three months, we have made long-and medium-term arrangements for power supply and are implementing 24/7 monitoring to manage morning, daytime and night peak hours, with special planning to handle the peak load during air-conditioner usage hours in urban areas," he said.