Dehradun, June 10 – The scorching heat and high humidity in Uttarakhand have pushed electricity demand to an all-time high. On Wednesday, the state’s power demand crossed 610 million units, setting a new record. The pressure of overload disrupted supply at several substations, prompting the Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) to activate the Kashipur gas-based power plant to meet the soaring requirement.
Second Consecutive Year of Record Summer Demand
This marks the second year in a row that UPCL has struggled to keep up with the state’s rising summer demand. Last year, on June 13, the demand had touched 610 million units, and climbed to 620 million units on June 14 and 15. This year, the state hit 600 million units on Tuesday and exceeded 610 million units on Wednesday.
By comparison, from 2020 to 2023, the highest June demand had never crossed 550 million units:
- 2023: 550 million units on June 17
- 2022: 540 million units on June 14
- 2021: 470 million units on June 29
- 2020: 410 million units on June 18
Disruptions at Key Substations
Due to the high demand, power supply was temporarily disrupted at seven substations on Tuesday:
- 132 kV Bindal: 21 minutes
- 132 kV Laltappad: 22 minutes
- 132 kV Bhupatwala: 21 minutes
- 132 kV Jwalapur: 29 minutes
- 132 kV Pathri: 13 minutes
- 220 kV Rishikesh and IDPL: 27 minutes
- 132 kV Ramnagar: 2 hours and 32 minutes
Residents faced difficulties due to power cuts in extreme heat. However, UPCL management has assured that no scheduled power cuts are currently in effect.
Kashipur Gas Plant Activated to Meet Surge
To deal with the surging demand, UPCL has operationalized its 321 MW gas-based power plant in Kashipur. The gas for the plant had already been procured and reserved for such peak demand scenarios. In addition, UPCL is purchasing around 4 million units of power daily from the market to bridge the gap.
UJVNL Hydropower Generation Surges
Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd (UJVNL) has ramped up production from its 21 hydropower projects, generating up to 200 million units of electricity daily. Melting glaciers and recent rainfall have improved water flow, boosting output and providing significant relief to UPCL during peak load periods.
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