Power Demand Drop Expands to 19.7% in June First Week

A relatively cooler first week of June in many parts of the country has seen the power demand slump widen from 8.8 percent in May to 19.7 percent in June.

A relatively cooler first week of June in many parts of the country has seen the power demand slump widen from 8.8 percent in May to 19.7 percent in June. The spurt in power demand due to intensifying heatwave and spur in commercial and industrial activities across the country after easing of the lockdown in the second half of May had raised hopes that power consumption would further inch towards normal levels (of last year) in June.

According to power ministry data, the peak power demand met ranged between 138.28 GW (on June 4) to 146.53 GW (on June 6) in the first week of June. Thus, the peak power demand for this week was 146.53 GW, which is 19.7 percent less than the 182.45 GW recorded in June last year.

The peak power demand met in May stood at 166.42 GW (recorded on May 26), which was 8.82 percent less than 182.55 GW in the same month a year earlier. Similarly, the peak power demand met in April stood at 132.77 GW, 25 percent less than 176.81 GW in the same month a year earlier. Therefore, the power demand slump had narrowed down to 8.8 percent in May from 25 percent in April this year.

Power consumption in May this year had also declined by 14.16 percent to 103.02 billion units (BU) compared to 120.02 BU a year ago. But, the slump in power consumption had narrowed down in May this year to 14.16 percent from 22.65 percent recorded April in this year. Power consumption had improved after the government started giving relaxations for economic activities and mercury soared beyond 45 degrees intensifying heatwave in the country in May. The total electricity consumption was 103.02 billion units in May this year compared to 120.02 BU in the same month a year ago. Power consumption in April dipped 22.65 percent to 85.16 billion units (BU) compared to 110.11 BU.

It is widely believed that the fall in power demand was arrested to an extent in the second half of May but cool weather has again widened the slump in electricity consumption in June so far. It is expected that the situation would prevail for another week and power demand would rise closer to the normal level (of last year in the same month) with rising mercury in June.