Residents complain of power cuts, voltage fluctuation at night as power demand soars

CHENNAI: As the state reels under the heat wave, Chennai's peak power demand has skyrocketed to the 4000 MW mark on Friday with people complaining of short-term power cuts and voltage fluctuation at night.

The state witnessed an all-time high peak power demand and energy consumption on Friday for the third successive day.

The peak power demand touched a new high of 19,580 MW bettering the previous high of 19,455 MW recorded a day before.

The state's energy consumption has increased to a record level of 441.183 million units on Friday as against 440.89 MU on Thursday.

A senior Tangedco official said that the unprecedented increase in power demand and consumption is due to the severe heat wave prevalent in the state.

According to the Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, the maximum temperature was generally above normal by three to five degrees centigrade over many pockets in the plains of interior Tamil Nadu.

Chennai's Meenambakkam station recorded an appreciably above-normal maximum temperature of 39.6 degrees Celsius which is 4.3 degrees Celsius high.

Residents of several parts of Chennai including Alandur, Madipakkam, Velachery, Meenambedu, Ambattur, Surapet, Vysarpadi and Avadi witnessed either nighttime short-duration power cuts or voltage fluctuation.

Prashanth, a resident of Palayathan Street, Alandur has complained on TANGEDCO's social media about midnight power cuts.

A senior TANGEDCO official said that due to the increase in the temperature, people are using the air conditioners at home, offices and shops.

"In the city, the power demand has crossed the 4000 MW mark for the first time this year. In some places, the increase in demand due to air conditioner usage could have led to the tripping of the distribution transformers, " the official said.