Power demand in Punjab hits new high before paddy season

With the paddy transplantation season still over a month away, the power demand crossed 10,000 MW for the first time this year on Wednesday.

In the morning, the power demand in the state touched 10,298 MW, according to Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL).

“We expect it to touch 17,500 MW this paddy season and efforts are on to manage the rising demand,” said a senior official, as paddy transplantation is set to begin on June 1.

Last year, the state recorded its highest-ever power demand on June 19 at 16,078 MW, surpassing the record demand of 15,325 MW witnessed in the 2023 paddy season.

“The high demand is due to the use of air conditioners and coolers as temperatures have risen in the past one week. It is now expected that the demand will rise further and stay around 11,000 MW till the paddy season starts,” the official said.

Meanwhile, the Lehra Mohabbat thermal plant has coal stock sufficient for 27 days, Ropar plant 39 days and Goindwal Sahib plant 41 days.

In case of private thermal plants, the Rajpura plant is left with coal stock sufficient for 22 days and Talwandi Sabo 12 days.

All four units at the Lehra Mohabbat and Ropar thermal plants are operating. The units at Goindwal did not operate on Wednesday.

Currently, the reservoir level at Ranjit Sagar Dam stood at 499.24 meters, down by 7.44 meters from last year’s level of 507.68 meters.

“The power demand is likely to increase by about 4,000 MW in the coming years at an estimated rate of 7 per cent every year and to meet that demand, there is an urgent need to set up two 800 MW supercritical units and a solar plant,” said a former chief engineer of PSPCL.