Chennai's power demand goes up with summer-like temperatures

CHENNAI: With the city sizzling with summer-like temperatures, Chennai's peak power demand has shot up to 3992 MW on Monday night with residents complaining of power cuts and voltage fluctuation.

The city's maximum temperature hovered around 37-38 degree Celsius in the first week of August which is the hottest since 2004. Met officials attributed the soaring mercury level to the dry weather and weak southwest monsoon conditions in southern parts of the country.

As the temperature remains two to three degree Celsius above the normal, people are turning to air conditioners to get respite from sweltering heat. According to the Tangedco officials, the city's peak power demand stood at 3,992 MW on Monday night while the daily energy consumption was 85.12 million units.

The official attributed the increase in the power demand to prevailing hot weather conditions across the city and the state. "Increased usage of the ACs at home also results in power cuts and voltage fluctuations in some areas, " the official added.

Meanwhile, Motilal Street Resident's Welfare Association, T Nagar wrote to Tangedco chairman and managing director over the unannounced power shutdown in the street on Tuesday morning.

"On August 8, between 10.30 am and 2 pm, power was shut down in Motilal Street, T Nagar. There was no announcement in the newspapers about this nor was any information disseminated through SMS to the consumers. As a result, the residents had to literally sweat it out. When we contacted the fuse-off-call office immediately after the power was shut down, we were told that maintenance was undertaken and that the power will be restored in one hour. But this was not to be and power was restored at 2 pm, " they said.

The residents also wondered why the Tangedco stopped sending sms alerts for power shutdown and sudden tripping.