Chandigarh: The city's power demand reached a season-high of 421 megawatts (MW) on Wednesday, driven by soaring temperatures that led to heavy usage of air-conditioners, coolers, and other cooling appliances. This latest peak surpasses the previous summer high of around 415 MW recorded in May, highlighting the growing strain on the power network amid the ongoing heatwave.
Sharp Rise in Demand Over 10 Days
Electricity consumption has risen sharply over the past ten days. From 272 MW on June 1, the peak load climbed to 318 MW on June 2, 359 MW on June 3, and 374 MW on June 4. A brief dip to 319 MW on June 5 due to marginal relief in temperatures was short-lived, with demand rebounding to 330 MW on June 6, 341 MW on June 7, 379 MW on June 8, and 398 MW on June 9, before crossing the 420 MW mark on Wednesday.
Impact of Rising Temperatures
The nearly 150 MW spike within nine days underscores the direct correlation between rising temperatures and electricity consumption. Officials noted that demand typically peaks during afternoon hours when cooling requirements are highest. While this is the highest demand recorded this season, it remains below the all-time peak of 465 MW logged on June 12, 2025.
Temperature Trends
The maximum temperature on Wednesday touched 42 degrees Celsius for the second consecutive day, while the minimum rose to 28.7 degrees Celsius — nearly 4 degrees higher than Tuesday. The mercury is expected to hover between 42 and 44 degrees Celsius on Thursday.
