New Delhi: There is a severe heatwave alert in North India. And if heat is bothering you already, get prepared to go sleepless too. If you are in the National Capital Region, brace for frequent and long power cuts as the electricity supply is compromised. Remember, maximum temperature has already hit 47.4 degrees Celsius and needless to say, Delhi is burning. Imagine being without power for hours, especially at night. There is a heatwave red alert for Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Chandigarh. The conditions are expected to persist, according to the India Meteorological Department. People are dying of heatstroke.
Looming power deficit
In all of this, India’s power infrastructure is under great pressure. As more people switch on ACs, the power deficit in June is projected to be the highest in 14 years. India is staring at a looming power crisis. Electricity demand and supply projections show a major power deficit, especially at night-time when it is likely to be the widest this June, since 2010.
The demand is likely to come at 235 Giga Watts (GWs) while the supply is projected at 221 GW, this leaves a deficit of 14 GW. The peak power demand for this summer season touched 229.60 GW on 18 May and this will only increase further as severe heatwave conditions continue.
The shortage is no surprise. It can be attributed to the usual delays in projects and poor storage levels in reservoirs. Coal-fired power projects scheduled to go onstream in March, with a capacity to produce 3.6 GW of power, have been delayed. Hydropower generation has come down steeply due to low levels of water in reservoirs.
The much-hyped renewable energy output has been flat. It has not compensated for the shortfall from other sources of electricity and the above-normal maximum temperature has only made it worse.
Sleepless nights in store?
To be sure, the power cut problem is not new. In fact, India suffers from this problem every year. So, why should you worry this time? What is new this time is the night-time power shortage. It’s the daytime power deficit due to strong industrial demand which was problem last time. However, with the setting up of solar capacity, which has grown 4 times in the past 5 years, daytime demand has been met.
In the absence of this power source at night, the night-time deficit remains a cause of worry. The govt has kicked into action. The planned maintenance of power plants has been deferred. The centre has restarted 5 coal-fired units and allowed imported coal-fired and gas-based power plants to operate at full capacity. It has asked all thermal power plants to work at full capacity. The completion of delayed power projects has also been fast-tracked.
However, these measures aren’t enough. India needs more power as it grows. To meet the need, government needs to plan capacity additions and execute them in a time-bound manner. While some keep some buffer capacity for rainy days, in this case, hotter than expected days.
The country’s power mix needs a right balance of thermal, gas-based power and renewable energy, so that a sudden demand spike, doesn’t send the government into a tizzy and people into darkness, quite literally. But until that happens – you – the residents of Delhi-NCR – should be prepared to go sleepless on long, hot nights with no power.
Delhi NCR is facing a power deficit owing to higher demand for electricity amid the ongoing heatwave warning. With the maximum temperature crossing 47 degrees celsius, there is a 14 Giga Watt power supply deficit in Delhi NCR. The absence of solar capacity at night is expected to hit supplies at night. Biz News Business News – Personal Finance News, Share Market News, BSE/NSE News, Stock Exchange News Today
