Chandigarh: Punjab power minister Sanjeev Arora on Monday announced that there will be no power shortage in the state from May 1, with preparations in place to meet a sharp surge in demand amid the ongoing heatwave.
Surge in Electricity Demand
Electricity demand jumped from 7,900 MW on April 15 to over 12,000 MW by April 25, marking a nearly 12% rise over the previous year, driven by extreme temperatures. Arora acknowledged a brief, unexpected shortage in recent days, particularly across northern states, but said the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited had maintained grid stability.
State Preparedness
"Punjab is fully prepared to meet peak summer demand and ensure uninterrupted supply," Arora stated, adding that advance planning and power arrangements have helped the state remain better positioned than others facing outages.
National Context
At the national level, peak demand touched 252 GW on April 24 against a supply of about 239 GW, leaving a deficit of 13 GW. The minister's assurance comes as the state braces for continued high temperatures and increased electricity consumption.
