Chandigarh, June 11 — Punjab recorded its highest-ever power demand of 16,249 MW on Tuesday as temperatures soared across the state, triggering unprecedented electricity consumption, according to data from Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL).
This surpasses the previous peak of 16,089 MW, registered on June 29 last year. Officials and experts attribute the surge to an ongoing heatwave and the intensifying paddy transplantation season, warning that the demand could breach 17,000 MW in the coming days.
“Punjab has managed its peak power demand without any power cuts for the first time since Independence,” said state power minister Harbhajan Singh, calling it a landmark achievement for PSPCL.
The extreme weather conditions have pushed Punjab’s energy grid to its limits. Bathinda recorded a scorching 47.6°C, while cities including Amritsar, Patiala and Ludhiana also reeled under severe heatwave conditions, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
IMD’s Chandigarh centre director Surinder Pal said, “Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions will prevail in Punjab for the next three to four days. People should avoid venturing out during the afternoon. A slight drop in temperature is expected around June 15 or 16, with rainfall likely from June 18.”
Despite the surging demand, PSPCL officials said they remain prepared. “We are ready to adopt additional measures such as power imports and optimising local generation to meet anticipated peak demand,” said a PSPCL spokesperson.
Currently, the drawing limit from the northern grid stands at 10,400 MW, while PSPCL’s maximum local availability is around 6,400 MW under optimal conditions.
All thermal power units across the state are functioning:
- Ropar: 680 MW
- Lehra Mohabbat: 830 MW
- Goindwal: 505 MW
- Rajpura (private): 1,325 MW
- Talwandi Sabo (private): 1,860 MW
In addition, all hydel units, including three at Ranjit Sagar Dam, are now operating during the afternoon—previously limited to morning hours—due to solar power being maximised during daytime.
However, concerns remain. VK Gupta, a retired PSPCL engineer, noted that the State Load Dispatch Centre’s online load graph does not display figures beyond 16,000 MW and needs an immediate update to reflect real-time data accurately.
PSPCL officials acknowledged that if demand surpasses 16,800 MW, it could exceed the current transmission infrastructure capacity, potentially leading to power cuts.
On Monday, the state supplied 3,295 lakh units of electricity, meeting a maximum demand of 15,640 MW.
Experts are closely monitoring the situation as Punjab enters a crucial phase for both agriculture and energy resilience amid unrelenting summer conditions.
