As Delhi faced a drop in temperatures in the past week or so, the power demand in December hit record levels, indicating it exceeded 5,000 Megawatt (MW) for the first time in the month, according to data.
On December 31 morning, the highest demand reached an impressive 5,213 MW at 10:50 am, as reported by the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC). This marks a significant rise from the December highs of 4,884 MW in 2023 and 4,964 MW in 2022.
The rising demand coincides with the city’s unprecedented summer electricity consumption, with peak usage hitting a historic maximum of 8,656 MW in 2024. This winter, the SLDC predictions suggest that the city’s electricity demand might surpass 6,300 MW, establishing new records. In the regions serviced by BSES (power distribution company), peak demand is expected to exceed 2,600 MW for BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL) and 1,240 MW for BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL).
In order to meet the increasing energy demand, BSES discoms are utilizing strategic power planning and cutting-edge technologies.
More than 2,000 MW derived from renewable sources, including solar, hydro, wind, and waste-to-energy, will meet up to 53 percent of the winter demand for over 3,900 MW in BSES regions through green energy.
Sophisticated Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies are crucial for precisely predicting electricity consumption, taking into account weather factors and various other elements to estimate demand across different time frames.
This innovative strategy enables BSES to employ methods like “Banking” and “Power Exchange,” guaranteeing reliable power supply even during unexpected demand surges.
