Intense summer heat in Delhi pushes power demand to all-time high of 7,717 MW

Delhi is reeling under intense heat with a steady rise in temperature.

Delhi's peak power demand reached an all-time high of 7717 MW on May 21's afternoon, amid the prevailing intense summer heat, Discom officials said. According to the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC) Delhi real-time data, the peak demand of the city broke all previous records.

It reached 7717 MW at 3.33 pm, they said. Delhi's previous all-time high peak power demand was recorded at 7,695 MW on June 29, 2022, officials said.

Delhi is reeling under intense heat with a steady rise in temperature. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heat wave conditions in many parts of Delhi and severe heatwave conditions in some areas. It has also issued a red alert for the next four days.

According to the seven-day forecast, the maximum temperature will be in the range of 44 to 47 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature on Tuesday settled at 30.7 degrees Celsius, four notches above normal, according to the IMD. The maximum temperature of the day is expected to be around 45 degrees Celsius.

The power usage in the national capital touched 7572 MW as the city reels under a severe heatwave on May 20. The power demand broke the record set for the month of May, which was 7438 MW.

It was also higher than the peak power demand recorded last year -- 7,438 MW -- on August 22. Delhi's all-time high peak power demand was recorded on June 29, 2022, at 7695 Mega Watts.

As the mercury level in several parts of the city breached the 47 degrees Celsius mark, the weather department issued a red alert for the next five days. According to officials, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are likely to persist in Delhi.

The Delhi government also directed the schools that have not closed for summer vacations to do so with immediate effect. In a circular, the city government's Directorate of Education said all schools were directed to observe summer vacation from May 11 to June 30 for this academic year.

The Punjab government announced summer holidays in all government, aided and private schools from May 21 to June 30 amid severe heatwave conditions.

The Directorate of School Education, Jammu, ordered a change in the school timing in the division's summer zones due to the extreme heat. The new timing - 8 a.m. to noon - came into effect from Monday in all government and private (recognised) schools up to the higher secondary level.

The Directorate of Higher Education in Himachal Pradesh also ordered a change in the school timing for places in the lower hills after a heatwave alert was issued for several districts.

While large parts of northern India experienced scorching heat, southern states such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu were drenched by rain, an indication of the southwest monsoon's onset later this month.

Safdarjung, the base station for Delhi, recorded its highest maximum temperature of 47.2 degrees Celsius on May 29, 1944 - the highest for the weather station, which has maintained records since 1931.

The Palam station, near the international airport, recorded a maximum temperature of 48.4 degrees Celsius on May 26, 1998. Palam has records dating back to 1956.

The IMD had earlier warned of extreme heat in India during the April-June period, coinciding with the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections that end on June 1.

The threshold for a heatwave is met when the maximum temperature of a weather station reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius in the plains, 37 degrees in the coastal areas, and 30 degrees in the hilly regions, and the departure from normal is at least 4.5 notches.

A severe heatwave is declared if the departure from normal exceeds 6.4 notches

(With inputs from PTI)