The icy, dry north westerly winds made Delhi shiver, pushing the peak winter power demand to an all-time high of 5611 MW on Wednesday morning. The maximum temperature was recorded at 15.2 degrees Celsius, four notches below the season’s normal, while the minimum temperature plummeted to 7.1 degrees Celsius, accompanied by moderate fog in isolated pockets. Jafarpur was the coldest area, with the maximum temperature dropping to 12.1 degrees Celsius, seven notches below the season’s normal. Most parts of the capital city experienced a severe cold wave due to the drop in maximum temperature and the presence of dry, icy winds.
The temperature in Sainik Farms plummeted to 4.7 degrees Celsius, as reported by a local source. There were power outages due to a significant surge in heater usage, with a house down the road using 10 of them. The result was complete darkness and bitter cold in the area.
According to real-time data from the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC) Delhi, the peak power demand reached 5611 MW at 11:08 am. The previous all-time high winter peak demand was 5559 MW on January 5. This year, except for January 2, each day in January has seen Delhi’s peak power demand remain above 5000 MW.
According to the discom officials, the spike in power demand is primarily due to increased electricity use by consumers for heating purposes. A BSES spokesperson mentioned that the company’s discoms, BRPL (BSES Rajdhani Power Limited) and BYPL (BSES Yamuna Power Limited), successfully met peak power demands of 2,350 MW and 1,174 MW, respectively, in their areas of distribution. BSES reported that the peak power demand during winter months until last year was 5526 MW, recorded on January 6, 2023. Delhi’s peak power demand this winter is expected to exceed 5700 MW this year.
Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL) achieved a record peak power demand of 1,753 MW without any network constraints or outages amid the cold wave affecting northwest India, as stated by a discom spokesperson. The company anticipates the peak winter demand to surpass the 1,800-MW mark this season. TPDDL has secured long-term power tie-ups to meet the demand and has ensured the reliability of its equipment during these low temperatures and foggy conditions, she added.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the national capital continues to experience severe cold day conditions with a mainly clear sky on Wednesday. According to the IMD, the maximum temperatures were recorded as follows: Palam at 12.7 degrees Celsius, Lodhi Road at 14.7 degrees Celsius, Ridge at 14.5 degrees Celsius, Ayanagar at 15 degrees Celsius, Narela at 13.7 degrees Celsius, Pusa at 14.2 degrees Celsius, Pitampura at 15 degrees Celsius, and SPS Mayur Vihar at 13.5 degrees Celsius. Similarly, the maximum temperatures were recorded in Gurugram at 13.7 degrees Celsius, CDO Ghaziabad at 13 degrees Celsius, and Noida at 14.2 degrees Celsius.
Night shelters in Delhi, designed to provide refuge for homeless people, were full amid the cold weather conditions. These shelters offer blankets, beds, hot water, and food for those seeking shelter. A caretaker from a night shelter in Delhi’s Kashmeri Gate mentioned that a rescue team has been deployed to bring people living on roadsides to these homes.
On Monday, the city recorded its coldest day of the month so far, with the minimum temperature dropping to 5.3 degrees Celsius. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the city improved to the “poor” category, with a reading of 269 recorded at 9 am.
According to the seven-day forecast from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), weather conditions are expected to remain partly cloudy until January 16, with temperatures remaining in the usual range. No prevalent cold day conditions are expected in the next seven days. Due to weather conditions, 18 Delhi-bound trains were running late.
In a statement, BSES mentioned that, apart from long-term agreements with power plants, over 2000 MW of green power will play a significant role in ensuring a reliable power supply to BSES consumers during the winter months. This includes 840 MW of solar power from SECI, 540 MW of hydro power, 500 MW of wind power, approximately 40 MW from waste-to-energy, and around 160 MW of rooftop solar power installed on rooftops in South, West, East, and Central Delhi. In fact, up to 60% of the maximum ‘winter’ power demand of up to 3600+ MW in the BSES area will be met with green power. Apart from these, BSES discoms are using avenues like “Banking,” “Power Exchange,” and ensuring sufficient “Spinning Reserves” to dispose of surplus power, as well as making arrangements to secure power during the summer months.
The IMD has issued a dense fog warning over North-Indian states amid cold weather conditions. The cold wave has intensified in the Northern region of the country over the past few days, with maximum temperatures hovering below normal limits, while night temperatures have also been settling below normal at some places.
Several states are grappling with the problem of low visibility due to dense fog, especially in the morning and night hours, leading to the delay of several flights and trains.