Punjab: Peak power demand crosses 10,000 MW, PSPCL appeals for electricity conservation – EQ Mag Pro
41% more power was supplied in May this year compared to last year, says the corporation
Punjab’s electricity demand touched a record high of 10,495 MW on May 12 (Thursday), prompting the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to appeal to consumers to switch-off air conditioners, lights and other devices as well as domestic and agriculture water pump sets, when not required.
According to PSPCL officials, Thursday’s peak power demand was 65 per cent more than what the state had witnessed on the same day last year, at 6374 MW.
As per details, the peak demand was 10,401 MW on May 10 (Tuesday), compared to 6,640 on the same day last year — working out to a jump of 57 per cent. The demand fell slightly on May 11 (Wednesday) and settled at 10,063 MW, compared to 6546 MW witnessed on the same day last year — a jump of 54 per cent. On Thursday, the peak demand shot up to 10,495 MW again.
Information released also revealed that from May 1-May 12, the total energy supplied by PSPCL was 2483 million units (MUs) compared to 1762 MUs last year, an increase of around 41 per cent.
Prodded about the current demand-supply gap in the state, a PSPCL spokesperson said that till now, the corporation had managed to meet the demand of all categories of consumers. “Coal stocks in the thermal plants, however, have been dwindling owing to the current extraordinary demand. PSPCL is making all efforts to get maximum coal for operating its thermal plants. However, in view of a coal shortage prevailing throughout the country and the consistent increase in demand, the corporation humbly appeals to all its consumers to use power judiciously,” added the spokesperson.
He added that there had been an increase of around 60-70 per cent in power consumption in the urban domestic category, while the increase in the rural sector was in the range of 30-35 per cent. In commercial sector this increase was between 55-60%, while in industrial sector it is only between 5-11 per cent.
The PSPCL spokesperson said that the corporation had issued an appeal to the consumers to switch off air conditioners, lights, other devices, domestic and agriculture pump sets when not required. Temperature setting of ACs be kept above 26ºC. Shunt capacitors of sufficient capacity be installed on motors of agricultural pump sets and industrial loads.
The spokesperson also said that theft of electricity in addition to an increase in distribution losses also results in rise in tariff due to low revenue collection, increasing the burden on consumers.
Source: PTI
