Peak power demand up to 220 GW as temperatures rise

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Peak power demand in India touched 220.55 GW on March 13 as temperatures rose across the country, much higher than the 206.8 GW on the corresponding day last year. It also surpassed the 209-GW level recorded a year back in the same month.

The peak demand so far in the month, is however, lower than that estimated by the power ministry at 231 GW for the ongoing month.

«From next week, this demand will pick up,» a government official told ET. «March 18 onwards temperature is expected to rise which is when we expect higher peak demand,» the person said.

This is a transition period when the northern region temperature is just beginning to pick up, the person said, adding that demand in the western and southern parts of the country is already high. Prior to this, peak demand had reached 222 GW on February 17 and February 23, owing to winter demand.

Unlike other years, peak demand in the ongoing financial year touched record highs in August and September. The deviation was mainly because of the lower average temperature between March and May and a deficient monsoon which saw higher demand in August, September, and parts of October.

In the coming summer months, peak demand is expected to go up to 260 GW between April and June, Power Minister RK Singh had told ET in an interaction recently. Singh had also said that a similar peak could be seen around September.