The national Capital on Thursday recorded the highest-ever power demand in the month of May, as Delhi’s peak power demand clocked 6,841 MW.

According to sources in discoms, the city’s peak power demand broke the previous record created on May 13 by clocking 6,841 MW at 3:01 P.M. This is the highest-ever power demand in May. The previous high was on May 13, at 6,829 MW. “Delhi’s peak power demand in May had never crossed the 6,000 MW in 2021 and 2020. In 2019, it had crossed the 6,000 MW mark only on three occasions — May 29 (6020 MW), May 30 (6240 MW), and May 31 (6461 MW),” sources said.

“Cooling load is the main reason behind Delhi’s power load.  In fact, according to estimates, almost around 50 per cent of Delhi’s power demand in summers is because of the cooling load of Acs, Coolers, and Fans.  The rain had a direct bearing on the cooling load,” sources said. Earlier, in April 2022, the peak power demand had been higher on 100 per cent of the corresponding days in respect to that of April 2021, 2020, and 2019.  Moreover, on seven occasions in April 2022, Delhi’s peak power demand clocked the highest ever in April, each breaking the previous record in quick succession. On April 19, it was 5735 MW, 5761 MW on April 20, 5781 MW on August 21, 5786 MW on April 27, 6050 MW on April 28 and 6197 on April 29, and 6036 MW on April 30.

Delhi’s peak power demand had breached the 7000 MW for the first time – peaking at 7016 MW in 2018.  This expected peak power demand of around 8200 MW is an increase of around 285 per cent over the peak power demand of 2879 MW in 2002.