Soaring temperature spikes power demand by 25% in Chennai

CHENNAI: The city experienced scorching temperatures reaching 40.6 degrees Celsius, leading to a surge in power demand to 4,400 megawatts on Monday as residents turned to air conditioners to combat the intense heat.

On Monday, Chennai recorded its highest temperature of 40.6 degrees in 2024, following a brief respite from the heatwave conditions that prevailed in April and the first half of May due to summer rains.

However, the temperature has been steadily rising since May 23, coinciding with an increase in power demand.

The peak power demand in Chennai spiked by 25% to 4,400 MW from this month’s low of 3,519 MW on May 17, which was

accompanied by a more than 20% rise in daily energy consumption to 88.58 million units on Monday from 73.42 MU on May 19. In May this year, the power demand peaked at 4,590 MW on May 6, with the highest energy consumption of 97.43 MU recorded on May 3.

A senior Tangedco official attributed the rise in power demand to the extensive use of air conditioners in residential and commercial buildings. “AC usage drives the power demand. When the

temperature drops, AC usage decreases, reducing the power demand,” the official added. “Conversely, when the temperature rises, people rely more on ACs to cope with the hot weather conditions.” Despite the surge in Chennai’s power demand, the State’s overall demand has remained steady at around 16,500 MW to 17,400 MW since May 16, in contrast to the demand exceeding 20,000 MW in the first week of May. The State’s all-time high power demand of 20,840 MW was recorded on May 2.