Delhi's power demand hits new winter high of 6,087 MW

New Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) Delhi on Friday recorded its highest-ever peak power demand during the winter season at 6,087 MW, reflecting rising electricity consumption even amid cold weather, according to Power

discom BSES.

The discom said that the peak was registered at 10.39 am on Friday, surpassing the last five years’ winter maximum demand of 5,655 MW and its two utilities — BRPL and BYPL — successfully met peak demands of 2,508 MW and 1,209 MW, respectively, in their supply areas.

The discom data showed a steady rise in winter peak demand over the years. In the BSES areas, BRPL had recorded a winter peak of 2,431 MW last year, while BYPL had touched 1,105 MW.

This winter, the demand is projected to rise further to around 2,570 MW for BRPL and about 1,350 MW for BYPL, it said.

Over the past five winters, Delhi’s peak power demand has shown a steady upward trend. In the winter of 2020–21, the city recorded a peak demand of 5,021 MW, which rose to 5,104 MW in 2021-22 and further to 5,526 MW in 2022-23, it read.

The demand increased again to 5,816 MW during the winter of 2023-24 before touching 5,655 MW last winter. This year, Delhi has already crossed previous records, with the peak demand reaching 6,087 MW so far, marking the highest-ever winter electricity consumption in the city, the discom shared.

To ensure uninterrupted supply during the winter months, BSES has made comprehensive arrangements, including long-term power tie-ups, increased use of renewable energy, power banking with other states, energy storage solutions and advanced demand forecasting, it stated.

More than half of BSES’s winter power requirement is being met through renewable and clean energy sources such as solar, wind, hydro and waste-to-energy, the utility said.

Of a projected winter demand of around 3,900 MW across BRPL and BYPL areas, over 50 per cent is sourced from green power, helping reduce Delhi’s carbon footprint, the discom said.

BSES also said it is using AI and machine learning-based tools to forecast demand more accurately by factoring in weather conditions, consumer behaviour and other variables. Surplus power generated during low-demand winter periods is being banked with partner states such as Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Kerala and Chhattisgarh for use during the high-demand summer months.

Battery Energy Storage Systems are also being deployed to store excess power during off-peak hours and discharge it during peak periods, while coordinated grid management measures are in place to maintain system stability, it stated.

According to a BSES spokesperson, the utility remains fully prepared to meet the city’s winter power needs.

“Through smart planning, extensive renewable integration, robust banking mechanisms, advanced storage utilisation and AI-driven forecasting, we are committed to ensuring reliable, clean and green power supply to over 53 lakh consumers and nearly 2.25 crore residents across the city,” the spokesperson said. PTI SHB APL