New Delhi [India], April 10: As soaring temperatures push Delhi’s power demand to new highs, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal has indirectly blamed the current state government for allegedly damaging the capital’s once-stable electricity infrastructure.
“In the last ten years, we have worked hard to fix Delhi’s electricity system. It is said that it takes years to fix anything, but it can be damaged in just two days,” Kejriwal, former Chief Minister of Delhi, said in a veiled critique posted on X (formerly Twitter).
His remarks come amid widespread power outages across Delhi, even though the city’s peak electricity demand stood at 5,462 megawatts (MW) on Tuesday—significantly lower than previous highs. Kejriwal noted that last year, Delhi successfully handled peak demand of around 8,500 MW without outages under the AAP government.
“Yesterday, the peak demand in Delhi was 5,462 MW. Yet, there was no electricity for several hours in many places in Delhi. Last year, the peak demand reached about 8,500 MW. Still, there was no power outage anywhere in Delhi during our government,” Kejriwal pointed out.
He also raised concerns over the upcoming summer months, warning that rising temperatures could further strain the system: “What will happen in the coming weeks when the heat in Delhi increases and the demand for electricity also increases?”
The State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC) confirmed that Delhi’s power demand hit 5,090 MW at 12:31 PM on Wednesday, the highest so far this season, with expectations that it could breach the 9,000 MW mark later this summer. Notably, the city recorded an all-time high of 8,656 MW in June 2024.
This year’s rising demand is attributed to intensifying heat and greater use of cooling appliances. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the capital’s minimum temperature on Wednesday was 25.6°C, which is 5.6 degrees above normal. Maximum temperatures are hovering between 39°C to 41°C.
In preparation, BSES discoms—including BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL) and BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL)—are ramping up efforts to ensure uninterrupted power supply to over 50 lakh consumers and nearly 2 crore residents across South, West, East, and Central Delhi.
With the mercury rising and energy needs surging, Delhi braces for what could be a record-breaking summer, amid growing political heat over the reliability of its power supply.