New Delhi: The searing heat in the national capital pushed up Delhi’s peak power demand to its highest-ever at 8,647 MW on Tuesday afternoon as maximum and minimum temperatures touched 44 degrees Celsius and 34 degrees Celsius amid heatwave conditions, data sourced from the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC), Delhi, showed. The previous high peak power demand in Delhi was recorded on May 29 at 8,302 MW.
Delhi’s peak power demand breached the 8,000-MW mark for the first time on May 22. Since then, the figure has crossed 8,000 MW eight times so far, sources in discoms said. “The power demand is being driven by consistent heatwave conditions which is increasing the cooling load coming from use of air conditioners and coolers. Air conditioning equipment can contribute 30-50 percent o the domestic and commercial consumption,” said a source.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a ‘red alert’ for Delhi, saying that the prevailing heatwave conditions are expected to continue. The IMD has said that some relief might be on the cards with some rain and thunderstorm expected in the national capital in the next three-four days.
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