AP power demand hits new high amid severe heatwave on Thursday

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh witnessed unprecedented stress on its power sector as the state recorded an all-time high electricity demand of 15,016 MW on Thursday amid the continuing severe heatwave conditions. With mercury levels crossing 46 degrees Celsius in more than 200 mandals spread across over 20 districts on Friday, power consumption surged sharply as households, commercial establishments and agricultural sectors relied extensively on air-conditioners, coolers and pump sets. The energy department said the record demand reflected the intensity of the summer and the growing dependence on power during extreme weather conditions. "Andhra Pradesh State Grid recorded its highest-ever energy consumption of 288.9 Million Units (MU) on Thursday, along with an all-time day peak demand of 15,016 MW and evening peak demand of 12474MW. This marks the highest electricity load ever managed by the State power system," said a senior official of AP Transco.The state power grid, however, came under severe pressure as the energy department struggled throughout the day to balance demand and supply. Several rural areas reportedly experienced acute supply disruptions due to technical glitches, feeder overloads and tripping issues in substations. It took several hours for the energy department to restore the supply in rural areas due to a shortage of staff and materials. Despite the record daytime demand, officials said the load gradually eased to around 10,800 MW by 6 pm. However, the grid has been facing sustained high demand for the past four days. The energy department managed to supply around 14,358 MW on Wednesday, while the night demand touched a record 12,358 MW, surpassing last year’s previous highest night peak demand of 11,700 MW.The crisis deepened further following generation setbacks at multiple thermal stations. The AP grid reportedly lost around 540 MW from the Hinduja power plant and another 210 MW from Vijayawada Thermal Power Station (VTPS) after substations tripped. In addition, the state could not receive nearly 625 MW from SEIL Energy, resulting in a steep shortage during peak hours.To maintain grid stability and avoid widespread outages, the energy department purchased nearly 3,000 MW from open power exchanges on Thursday. The officials from AP Transco, Genco and discoms were virtually on their toes to manage the grid balance for the past few days. They said planning, power purchases and coordination among generation and distribution utilities helped the state manage the unprecedented load without major statewide breakdowns.Special chief secretary for energy K Vijayanand is closely monitoring the evolving situation and has directed field staff to remain on high alert to ensure uninterrupted supply, particularly during peak evening hours. Utilities are also struggling with low and inadequate coal stocks, which are feared to trip more stations if not managed properly. Sources said the pressure on the grid continued on Friday as well, with temperatures reportedly touching nearly 48 degrees Celsius in several parts of the state, raising concerns over further spikes in electricity consumption in the coming days. Vijayanand appreciated the AP Transco, Genco and discom officials for maintaining the supplies mostly uninterrupted.