Peak power demand in Delhi inches past that of 2019 and 2020

With phased unlocking and resumption of economic activities, Delhi's peak power demand inched past that of 2020, discom officials said. This year, between July and September, Delhi's peak power demand was 53 percent higher in comparison with the corresponding days of 2020 and 34 percent more than 2019, discom officials said.

The process to resume economic activities that were shut down due to the second wave of COVID 19, began in Delhi by the end of May, allowing manufacturing and construction work with certain guidelines. In the following days, transport facilities, shops, markets, offices, and other such activities were restarted in a phased manner by the Delhi government in view of the impact of the COVID-induced lockdown on the economy.

Apart from the unlocking and resumption of economic activities, the weather also has had a profound impact on the city’s power demand, they said. Analysing on a monthly basis, Delhi’s peak power demand was 70 percent higher than on corresponding days in 2020. On the other hand, on account of the rainy season, the peak power demand in September 2021 has been lower than that of September 2020 on most corresponding days, officials said.

Earlier on July 2 this year, Delhi’s peak power demand had clocked this season's highest at 7,323 MW. In fact, this was only the third year in Delhi's power history that the peak power demand crossed 7,000 MW, they said. In 2018, the peak power demand had crossed the 7,000 MW for the first time, clocking 7,016 MW. In 2019, it reached 7,409 MW. In 2020, Delhi's season's highest peak power demand had only clocked 6,314 MW.

The peak power demand in August 2021 was 14 percent more than the peak power demand of August 2020 and 1.18 percent more than the peak power demand of August 2019, they added. The BSES discoms are fully geared up and sourcing adequate electricity to meet the power demand to serve over 4.5 million consumers and 18 million residents in South, West, East and Central Delhi, including essential services such as hospitals, labs, quarantine centres, vaccination centres, said a spokesperson of the discom.

Apart from a robust distribution network and accurate load-forecasting, BSES discoms have also made proper arrangements, including long-term power purchase agreements and banking to meet the electricity demands of Delhi, he added.