With temperatures rising, power discoms in Delhi on Monday said that they are gearing up to meet a peak electricity demand of over 8,000 MW this summer, with advanced forecasting models and power banking arrangements to be used. Thermo-scanning to identify possible faults in the grid are also being done in advance, officials aware of the matter said.
The highest-ever peak power demand for Delhi was 7,695 MW, which was recorded on June, 2022. Last summer, the peak was 7,438 MW, which was recorded on August 22, 2023. The forecasts by Delhi’s State Load Despatch Centre (SLDC) have estimated that the peak power demand may cross 8,000 MW this summer, going up to 8,200 MW.
Tata Power DDL, which provides electricity in north Delhi, said it had undertaken avenues such as bilateral agreements, reserve shutdowns and power exchanges to meet any unforeseeable contingency this summer.
“Adding to these efforts are the advanced load forecasting statistical and modelling techniques, which are helping the company predict the power demand with greater accuracy,” said a Tata Power DDL spokesperson, adding that it also has Battery Energy Storage Systems at Rohini and Rani Bagh, which provide power supply to customers during any exigency. These systems get charged during off-peak hours and can allow electricity to be stored.
Tata Power DDL said it was expecting a peak power demand of 2,351 MW under its jurisdiction this summer, with adequate power arrangements made to meet a demand of up to 2,500 MW. Last summer, the highest peak power demand it saw was 2,182 MW.
BSES, through its subsidiaries BRPL and BYPL, which provide electricity to the remaining parts of Delhi, also said it was geared up to meet a high power demand this summer. “The arrangements include long-term purchase power agreements and banking arrangements with other states. The deployment of latest technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) for predicting power demand accurately, critical for ensuring reliable power supply,” said a BSES spokesperson, adding it was using thermo-scanning to identify any possible faults in the grid.
“This is being done to pre-determine potential faults and to take remedial measures,” the spokesperson added.
