Power demand crosses record 700 MW in a day

Indore: The intense heat has pushed electricity demand in the city to an all-time high.

The city’s maximum power demand hit a record 707 MW on Wednesday, following a high of 685 MW on Tuesday as per the data from west discom. The daily electricity consumption has jumped to 1.53 crore units.

Indore’s average daily consumption before April was around 90 lakh units; the city is now consuming an additional 60 lakh units every day.

Experts point out that while cold drinks and temporary outdoor relief measures are common, they offer little respite against the current heat. The primary necessity for residents has become maintaining a cool environment within houses and offices. This constant indoor cooling alone accounts for an estimated 50 to 60 lakh units of the city’s daily consumption.

Superintending engineer DK Gathe said that technical personnel were working in shifts, often climbing iron poles in the scorching afternoon sun to rectify faults and ensure an uninterrupted power supply. Officials have appealed to citizens to use heavy appliances judiciously to help manage the unprecedented load on the system.

“The massive load has placed immense strain on the electrical grid. To prevent transformers and grids from overheating or catching fire, the department has implemented several emergency measures,” Gathe told TOI, adding that jumbo coolers and high-speed fans have been installed at over 50 strategic grid locations to lower equipment temperature.

To maintain proper conductivity and prevent faults, teams are using water tankers and borewells to constantly soak the ground around transformer earthing points, he said.