PATIALA, May 21: — With temperatures climbing across Punjab, the state’s power demand surged to 14,026 megawatts (MW) around 1 p.m. on Tuesday, marking the highest electricity consumption so far this year, according to officials from the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL).
The sharp rise comes after a period of relatively low demand earlier this month. On Monday, the demand had peaked at 13,700 MW, up from 12,232 MW on Saturday.
An official from PSPCL stated, “Today, all four units at Ropar, three at Lehra Mohabbat, and one at Goindwal are operational. One unit at GVK is shut for scheduled maintenance and is expected to resume operation by May 26. Additionally, one unit at Lehra Mohabbat is down due to boiler leakage.”
On Tuesday, state-run thermal plants generated about 1,560 MW, while private thermal plants contributed 2,980 MW. Solar power within Punjab added 300 MW to the mix. The total daily electricity supply has now risen to 2,550 lakh units (LU), up from 1,949 LU earlier this month when cooler weather had kept demand in check.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for a heatwave for the next two days, with temperatures continuing to hover 1–3°C above normal. On Tuesday, Bathinda recorded a maximum temperature of 45.4°C, among the highest in the state.
Compared to the same date last year—when the peak demand stood at 13,125 MW—the current figures reflect a significant year-on-year increase. PSPCL officials projected that the maximum demand could touch 17,300 MW during the upcoming paddy season, which begins June 1.
To meet the anticipated surge, Punjab will rely heavily on the northern grid, drawing up to 10,500 MW during peak times, while PSPCL is expected to contribute around 6,500 MW from its own generation. At present, the state is drawing 8,850 MW from the grid, in addition to 5,150 MW from internal sources.
Coal stock at Punjab’s thermal plants appears adequate for now. State-run plants at Lehra Mohabbat, Ropar and Goindwal have reserves for 26, 36, and 30 days respectively. Private plants at Rajpura and Talwandi Sabo are stocked for 27 and 16 days.
Officials noted that while the situation remains under control, consistent demand pressure through summer will require close monitoring of generation capacity and grid reliance.
