Rising temperatures push TN's power demand for 3rd consecutive day

CHENNAI: For the third consecutive day, Tamil Nadu's power demand and daily energy consumption broke its record with the demand shooting up to 19,387 MW and energy consumption to 423.745 Million Units on Thursday due to rising temperatures.

Chennai's power demand has also recorded an all-time high of 3788 MW on Thursday bettering its previous high of 3763 MW on June 22, 2022.

The State's previous all-time high demand was 19,087 MW and daily consumption was 318.241 MU on Wednesday.

The exponential increase in the State's and the city's power demand coincided with the rise in temperatures. As per the Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, the maximum temperatures were 3-4 degree centigrade and 2-3 degree centigrade above the normal at a few pockets of the north coastal Tamil Nadu and interior Tamil Nadu respectively on Thursday. Chennai's Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam recorded maximum temperatures of 38.1°C (3.3°C above normal) and 39.7°C (3.7°C above normal).

A senior Tangedco official said with the rain predicted in some parts of the State for the next couple of days, the power demand is likely to come down providing us relief. "Next week, the power demand will start to go up. We will be able to meet the power demand through the swapping arrangement with other states, power purchase for meeting peak demand and efficient use of hydro," the official said, adding that solar generation comes in handy to meet the power demand peaking during the daytime this year.

The official said that the peak power demand record was broken 10 times this year and the daily energy consumption record six times.

The peak power demand has increased by a whopping 1824 MW compared to last year's 17,563W which is the highest in the last 10 years. Likewise, the energy consumption also increased by 35.705 MU to 423.785 MU from 388.08 MU in 2022 which is the second highest year-on-year rise in the last 10 years. The highest rise was 42.58 MU in 2016 when the daily

consumption increased from 303.04 in 2015 to 345.62 MU the next year after the relaxation of load-shedding measures.

TN's Power demand:

• April 20 - 19,387 MW

• April 19 - 19087 MW

• April 18 - 18, 882MW

TN's energy consumption:

• April 20: 423.785 MU

• April 19: 418.241 MU

• April 18: 413.494 MU

Chennai's power demand:

• April 20, 2023: 3788 MW

• June 14, 2022: 3763 MW