Punjab’s power demand drops, thanks to rain relief

Rain in Punjab reduces power demand by 3,000 MW in two days, with temperatures dropping significantly; light rain and thunderstorms expected ahead.

With rain bringing a much-needed relief from the scorching heat, the power demand in the state plunged by 3,000 megawatts in just two days, data from the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has revealed.

MeT officials said there may be a slight temperature rise over the next few days, though it may see a decline by mid-week. (HT File)

The maximum power demand on Monday afternoon was around 10,500 MW, as against 13,200 MW on Saturday.

As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the maximum temperatures in the state’s southern districts Bathinda, Mansa, Sangrur, Barnala, Patiala, and Malerkotla dropped over 5.1° C below normal while in adjoining central districts, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Rupnagar, SAS Nagar, and parts of Ferozepur and Moga, it was down by 3.1°C to 5.0°C below normal, on Monday.

MeT officials said there may be a slight temperature rise over the next few days, though it may see a decline by mid-week.

“Many districts in Punjab are likely to witness light rain, along with thunderstorms, over the next few days. There won’t be a major rise in maximum temperature until May 31,” said a MeT department official.

As per PSPCL officials, Saturday night’s storm resulted in outages at several places. This, combined with lower usage as people turned off their air conditioners, resulted in the power demand going down to 2,580 MW.

As per reports, after the storm, areas in Jalandhar and Ludhiana saw outages lasting up to 20 hours. The trouble was exacerbated by outsourced employees’ strike. The maximum power demand on Sunday was 9,897 MW while the minimum demand was 3,858 MW.