7,265 MW and rising: How Delhi's discoms battled peak power without blackouts
New Delhi: Delhi's power demand reached 7,265 MW at 3:29 pm on Monday, the highest recorded on May 19 in the last five years, according to data from the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC). The corresponding peak demand was 7,164 MW in 2024, 5,518 MW in 2023, 7,070 MW in 2022, 4,195 MW in 2020, and 3,266 MW in 2021.
Tata Power Delhi Distribution
Ltd (Tata Power-DDL) met a peak load of 2,136 MW — the highest for the season so far — without any supply disruptions. In BSES areas, BRPL and BYPL successfully handled peak loads of 3,227 MW and 1,596 MW, respectively.
In South and West Delhi, served by BRPL, the peak load during the summer of 2024 had reached 3,809 MW and is expected to rise to approximately 4,050 MW in 2025. In East and Central Delhi, under BYPL, last year's peak was 1,882 MW and is projected to reach around 1,900 MW this year.
To serve over 50 lakh consumers across South, West, East, and Central Delhi,
BSES discoms
have implemented a series of measures. These include long-term power purchase agreements, banking arrangements with other states, and deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) models to improve
load forecasting
and real-time demand management.
According to BSES, over 2,100 MW of green power will contribute significantly towards ensuring power availability during the peak summer months. In addition to power sourcing, advanced load forecasting techniques using AI/ML help the utility in operational planning.
BSES has also undertaken comprehensive network strengthening measures. These include preventive maintenance and predictive diagnostics like thermal scanning, partial discharge measurement, and health assessment of power and distribution transformers. Online load monitoring systems are being used to track transformer and 11kV feeder load conditions in real-time.
Tata Power-DDL said it maintained supply stability using a multi-layered power procurement strategy involving long-term bilateral agreements, reserve shutdown capacity, secured short-term tie-ups, and dynamic participation in the power exchange.
A senior official from the Ministry of Power said, 'The coordinated use of predictive maintenance, digital forecasting tools, and diversified procurement strategies by distribution companies is playing a key role in addressing seasonal peak loads without compromising reliability.'
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