Haryana's Peak Power Demand Hits Record at 3,135 Lakh Units

Haryana's peak power demand hit a record level of 3,135.42 lakh units on Saturday amid increasing usage of cooling appliances by households and agricultural equipment by farmers due to hot weather conditions.

The peak power demand was met with uninterrupted supply by two electricity distribution companies -- Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN), reflecting robust infrastructure and preparedness of the state, Haryana's Energy Minister Anil Vij said on Sunday.

On July 18, the combined electricity consumption of the two discoms reached a record of 3,135.42 lakh units. UHBVN recorded the consumption of 137.172 million units (1,371.72 lakh units), while DHBVN registered 176.370 million units (1,763.70 lakh units) of consumption, Vij said.

Compared to the corresponding day of last year, electricity consumption increased by 25.85 per cent in the UHBVN area (against 1,089.95 lakh units) and by 37.56 per cent in the DHBVN area (against 1,282.10 lakh units), the minister said in an official statement.

Electricity demand under UHBVN areas stayed above 1,000 lakh units in the first week of July, hitting 1,293.74 lakh units on July 4 and 1,371.72 lakh units on July 18, the highest daily consumption recorded during the month, he said.

Under the DHBVN areas, consumption also rose to the highest level of 1,763.70 lakh units on July 18.

According to the minister, electricity supply is being maintained in a balanced manner across agriculture, rural domestic, urban and industrial sectors.

Citing data, he said UHBVN, on July 18, supplied 413.43 lakh units to the agricultural sector, 299.14 lakh units to rural domestic consumers, 385.59 Lakh units to urban consumers, and 273.56 lakh units to the industrial sector.

Similarly, DHBVN supplied 357.05 lakh units to agriculture, 356.86 lakh units to rural domestic consumers, 693.53 lakh units to urban consumers, and 356.26 lakh units to industries.

These figures demonstrate that the government has ensured balanced and adequate electricity supply to all consumer categories, Vij said, adding that electricity demand has been increasing continuously due to hot and humid weather conditions, higher agricultural requirements and expanding industrial activities.

Despite this, the government has ensured uninterrupted power supply through advance planning, adequate power procurement, strengthening of the transmission network and modern load management systems, he said.

The state, he said, is continuously expanding its generation, transmission and distribution capacity to meet future electricity demand.

New substations, additional transformers, high-capacity transmission lines and smart technologies are being implemented rapidly to ensure an uninterrupted power supply in the coming years.

Besides, the state is also promoting solar energy and modern power management systems, thereby further strengthening energy security, the minister said.

Meanwhile, Vij appealed to the people of the state to use electricity responsibly, avoid unnecessary consumption, adopt energy-efficient appliances and install solar power systems to actively participate in the country's energy conservation movement.

The minister also appreciated the efforts of officers, engineers and employees of the department, saying that their commitment and coordinated efforts enabled the state to maintain a smooth power supply despite the increasing deman