Rising Mercury! ‘Use electricity wisely…’- India’s peak power demand hits record 270.82 GW

India’s power demand: Amid intense heatwave conditions, India’s peak power demand continues to touch fresh highs, reaching a record 270.82 gigawatts (GW) on May 21. The Ministry of Power said that electricity consumption has broken previous records for four consecutive days due to intense summer conditions.

Use electricity wisely and judiciously: Ministry

In a post on X, the Ministry of Power said rising temperatures and severe summer conditions have led to a sharp increase in electricity consumption, particularly during daytime hours when cooling demand remains high.

"Due to the intense heat wave in the country, the demand for electricity is also increasing," the ministry said.

According to the ministry, daytime peak electricity demand was recorded at 257.37 GW on May 18, which increased to 260.45 GW on May 19, 265.44 GW on May 20 and further rose to 270.82 GW on May 21.

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The ministry said the peak daytime demand is usually witnessed between 2 pm and 4 pm, when temperatures remain at their highest and usage of cooling appliances such as air conditioners, coolers and fans rises sharply.

Severe heatwave conditions likely to prevail over parts of India: IMD

Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are likely to persist over the plains of northwest India, Central and East India, and parts of Peninsular India during the next six to seven days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday.

The IMD stated that heatwave conditions are likely in isolated areas of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh from May 22 to May 28.

"Severe heatwave conditions over East Uttar Pradesh and East Madhya Pradesh are expected during the same period," the IMD said.

It added that heatwave conditions are very likely in isolated/some pockets over Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi from May 22 to May 28.

Severe heatwave conditions are predicted in some areas of these regions between May 24 and May 27.

"Heatwave conditions are very likely in isolated/some pockets over Rajasthan during May 22-28, with severe heatwave conditions likely in isolated/some pockets over West Rajasthan during May 24-28," the IMD said.

Parts of Vidharbha, Coastal Andhra, Yanam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Telangana, Jammu-Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand are likely to witness heat wave or severe heat wave conditions on different dates between May 22 and May 28.

Furthermore, warm night conditions are expected in isolated pockets of Uttar Pradesh and Vidarbha from May 22 to May 24, in Odisha from May 22 to May 26, and in Telangana on May 22 and May 23.