Peak load of power in Telangana crosses 18K MW mark, braces for higher demand in summer

HYDERABAD

The intra-day peak load of power in Telangana has crossed the 18,000 megawatt mark on Tuesday when the utilised met an unrestricted demand of 18,139 MW at 11.01 am. Telangana is the third State in the South after Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to have handled 18,000 MW or more peak load.

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who handles the portfolios of Energy and Finance, complimented senior officials, including engineers and staff of the power utilities, for making it possible.

The previous highest peak load (last year) was on March 20, when it crossed the 17,000 MW mark for the first time and clocked 17,160 MW. This year, the peak load crossed the 17,000 MW mark on February 28 when it was recorded as 17,083 MW. However, the previous highest peak load barrier was crossed on March 2 itself this year, when the system handled an unrestricted demand/load of 17,606 MW.

However, the highest energy consumption for a day was recorded on March 18 last year when it was 339.17 million units as the highest recorded this year so far was on March 2 (Monday) when it was 322.76 MU.

“The milestone crossed on Tuesday reflects Telangana’s economic growth, operational efficiency and excellent coordination”, Mr. Vikramarka said. Despite being geographically smaller, Telangana has reached a level where it matches or even surpasses the peak loads of several larger States. The progress clearly indicates the rapid growth in industrial, agricultural and urban sectors, he noted.

With the peak demand of 18,139 MW, Telangana stands comparable to larger States such as Madhya Pradesh, which recorded around 19,900 MW, and Rajasthan, which registered peak demand between 19,600 and 20,600 MW. Despite its smaller geographical size and population, Telangana has proven its capacity as it recorded higher peak demand than industrialised States such as Punjab, Haryana, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.

The Deputy Chief Minister stated that Telangana is emerging as a State with high electricity consumption density. Rapid expansion in IT, pharmaceutical, manufacturing and irrigation sectors has been the primary driver of this growth.

“Telangana is not only meeting current demand but is also fully prepared for upcoming summer peak requirements with advance planning. A robust grid system, forward-looking strategy and coordinated operations are our strengths”, Mr. Vikramarka added.