Latest news with #VKGupta
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
At 16,249 MW, Punjab's power demand hits all-time high as sweltering heat continues
Punjab on Tuesday recorded its highest ever power demand at 16,249 MW as sweltering heat continued in the state, according to Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) data. The previous highest power demand was 16,089 MW, recorded on June 29 last year. Experts said Punjab's power demand is likely to breach 17,000 MW next week amid the ongoing paddy transplantation and heatwave conditions. 'This spike, driven by relentless heat and the paddy sowing season, has put immense pressure on the PSPCL. The load graph at the State Load Dispatch Centre website of Punjab State Transmission Corporation does not show data beyond 16,000 MW and needs to be updated' said VK Gupta, a retired PSPCL engineer. Punjab power minister Harbhajan Singh said PSPCL managed the demand without any power cuts.'This is a landmark moment. For the first time after independence, Punjab has managed its peak power demand without resorting to power cuts,' the minister said. The maximum temperature reached 47.6 degrees Celsius in Bathinda, data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) revealed. According to the data, the temperatures across Punjab were around five degrees Celsius above normal. 'A heatwave was observed in Amritsar, Patiala, Ludhiana and Bathinda reeled under severe heatwave,' said an IMD official. IMD's Chandigarh centre director Surinder Pal said, 'Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions will prevail in Punjab for the next three to four days. People should avoid venturing out during the afternoon. Maximum temperature is likely to drop slightly around June 15 or 16. We are expecting rainfall from June 18.' A PSPCL official said they are prepared to take additional measures, including importing more power and optimising local generation, to meet this anticipated demand. PSPCL officials said that the drawing limit from the northern grid is 10, 400 MW and its maximum power availability would be around 6,400 MW under ideal conditions. They added that all thermal units in the state were running. Among the state-run thermal plants, Ropar facility is generating 680 MW power, Lehra Mohabbat 830 MW and Goindwal 505 MW. Among those from the private sector, Rajpura thermal plant is generating 1,325 MW power and Talwandi Sabo 1,860 MW. 'All hydel units – including three units of Ranjit Sagar Dam – are operating in the afternoon as well. Usually, we operate these units in the morning as we use solar power during the day,' said a PSPCL official. Experts said if the power demand exceeds 16,800 MW, the consumers will start facing power cuts as it will surpass the transmission capacity infrastructure of PSPCL. The officials added that the PSPCL supplied 3,295 lakh units of power with a maximum demand of around 15,640 MW on Monday. With inputs from HTC Chandigarh
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Climate
- Indian Express
Punjab witnesses all-time high power demand of 16,249 MW amid heatwave
Sweltering heat sweeping across Punjab, coupled with the peak paddy transplantation season, has pushed the state's power demand to an all-time high. On Tuesday, Punjab's electricity demand soared to a record-breaking 16,249 megawatts (MW), surpassing last year's peak of 16,089 MW, recorded on June 29, 2024. This demand spike has placed immense pressure on the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL). According to the State Load Despatch Centre website of the Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited (PSTCL), the load graph currently does not display figures beyond 16,000 MW, and it needs to be updated, said V K Gupta, a retired PSPCL engineer. A senior PSPCL official confirmed that the load had indeed touched 16,249 MW due to the ongoing heatwave and the high irrigation requirements of the paddy sowing season. If the current weather conditions persist, experts warn that Punjab's power demand could exceed 17,000 MW in the coming days. PSPCL has stated it is prepared to take additional steps, including importing power and optimising local generation, to meet the anticipated surge in demand. The drawing limit from the northern grid is 10,400 MW, while the state's maximum power availability is approximately 6,500 MW under ideal conditions. All thermal power units in the state are operational now. In the public sector, the Ropar thermal power plant is generating 680 MW, the Lehra Mohabbat plant 830 MW, and Goindwal 505 MW. In the private sector, the Rajpura thermal power plant is generating 1,325 MW and the Talwandi Sabo plant 1,860 MW. All hydro units, including three units of the Ranjit Sagar dam, are operating in the afternoon. After an unusually cool start to June, with good rainfall last month keeping temperatures in check, the return of summer heat has caused a sharp rise in temperatures. Punjab witnessed an increase of approximately 3,000 MW in power demand on Tuesday compared to Sunday, marking a significant surge. In Punjab, the temperature has touched 46.1 degrees Celsius in Samrala (Ludhiana), and in other parts of the state, it ranged from 40.8 to 44.6 degrees Celsius. This heatwave has led to a steep rise in power demand over the last two days. According to records from PSPCL, the first five days of June saw relatively moderate demand of around 10,500 MW. On Friday, demand rose to just under 12,000 MW; on Saturday and Sunday, it increased to 13,550 MW; and on Monday, it peaked at around 15,600 MW. Paddy transplantation in Punjab began in a staggered manner between June 1 and June 9, in three phases. Paddy cultivation in the state covers over 30 lakh hectares. The water level in the Bhakra dam is at 1,556.75 ft, which is 17 ft lower than last year's level of 1,573.76 ft. In the Ranjit Sagar dam, the water level stands at 507.17 m, compared to 507.90 m on the corresponding day last year.
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Dish TV's Watcho launches platform for professional content creators
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel In a digital landscape where content creation is growing rapidly, but discovery and monetisation continue to pose challenges, Direct-to-Home (DTH) operator Dish TV has introduced Fliqs on its OTT platform Watcho, offering original content, exclusive titles, and personalised viewing is intended to serve as a platform for the production, publishing, and monetisation of professionally created content. It is designed to assist professional content producers across the content lifecycle—from ideation and production to TV officials said that the platform offers tools for concept development, access to production resources including equipment and talent, and various monetisation models such as ad-supported, subscription, and free-to-view also retain rights to their content and receive transparent revenue-sharing terms. Fliqs enables content producers to subtitle their work in 15 languages and dub it in 10, helping them reach diverse audiences across regions.'Fliqs is a professional space for creators who want to retain ownership and monetise their work effectively,' said VK Gupta, CTO of Dish TV India, at the launch. 'We are creating a transparent, creator-first platform that gives professionals complete control over their content lifecycle.'Market watchers, however, say that Fliqs will face challenges like incremental costs, user acquisition in a crowded OTT space, content quality control, and managing creator expectations while competing with deep-pocketed established pointed to ongoing challenges in the industry, particularly for regional content creators who often struggle to get visibility on larger platforms. Fliqs currently hosts more than 2,000 hours of content, including previously unreleased is supported by Dish TV's existing infrastructure, which includes a user base of 15 million DTH households and 8 million monthly active OTT revenue model offers creators over 50% of earnings while Dish TV absorbs technology and marketing costs. The platform had over 100 creators onboard at the time of launch, including international production companies.
