Rain brings relief as Punjab's power demand dips after 16,800 MW surge

Punjab's power demand surged past 16,800 MW on Saturday, despite it being a holiday for government offices and banks. However, widespread rain across the state on Sunday offered much-needed relief to the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), as the demand dipped by around 2,500 MW, with further reduction expected if rains continue.

Earlier in the paddy season, power demand had peaked at 16,836 MW. On Saturday, it touched 16,818 MW at 3 pm, with PSPCL drawing 10,548 MW from the northern grid. All four units of the Ranjit Sagar Dam were operational. State thermal plants contributed around 2,000 MW, private generators 2,959 MW, and hydro generation 950 MW, bringing Punjab’s internal generation to over 6,300 MW.

On Friday, Punjab’s maximum power demand stood at approximately 15,633 MW, with the state withdrawing over 10,500 MW from the northern grid. This draw included both central sector allocations and power purchases on long-term and short-term bases.

The total power supply on Friday was 3,089 lakh units (LU). Of this, 412 LU came from the state’s own thermal generation, and 183 LU from hydel sources. The total power purchase, including from Independent Power Producers (IPPs), amounted to 23,089 LU.

The maximum daily power supply so far this year was 3,510 LU on June 13, while the highest last year was 3,563 LU on June 26. The average daily supply this June has increased by 100 LU compared to last year.

The current inflow into Bhakra is 45,747 cusecs, while Ranjit Sagar Dam (RSD) is receiving 10,469 cusecs, and Pong Dam is recording an inflow of 22,175 cusecs. Due to heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh, the inflows at Bhakra and Pong are steadily rising.

Coal stocks across Punjab’s thermal plants remain comfortable. Lehra Mohabbat has 19 days of stock, Ropar has 30 days, and Goindwal Sahib has 22 days. In the private sector, Rajpura has 26 days and Talwandi Sabo has 23 days of coal stock.

A senior PSPCL official said, “If it was a working day, demand would’ve risen by another 500 MW. But due to the rain spell and the holiday, it dropped considerably.”

Meanwhile, power outages were reported in several areas on Saturday due to technical faults, affecting Ferozepur, Mohali, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, and Amritsar.