Ludhiana
Officials said average daily consumption is around 6,700 MW, rising to nearly 9,200 MW during peak hours. The situation worsens in the early morning when power supply to agricultural feeders is released for running tubewell pumps between 4 am and 8 am, pushing demand beyond 10,000 MW and creating a significant shortfall.
While demand fluctuates with weather and consumption patterns, outages are most frequent during peak windows when domestic, commercial and agricultural loads overlap.
To manage the deficit, the department is relying on hydro generation from Ranjit Sagar Dam, contributing around 600 MW during peak hours, along with power procured from the central pool through energy exchanges.
Thermal plants, including Talwandi Sabo, are operating at full capacity during non-peak hours to stabilise supply, but officials said these measures offer limited relief when demand spikes sharply.
Chief engineer (Central Zone) Jagdev Singh Hans said some disruption is inevitable. “Demand is rising rapidly with the onset of heat. There will be outages this summer but we are trying to minimise disruption,” he said.
On the ground, rural and suburban areas are facing more frequent and prolonged cuts, while urban areas continue to receive relatively stable supply due to prioritised feeders.
Union representatives said the issue lies in the mismatch between peak demand and flexible generation capacity. Sudden spikes require fast-ramping sources such as hydro or imported power, both of which are limited, while solar offers little support during early morning and evening peaks.
With temperatures expected to rise further, pressure on the grid is likely to intensify, making demand-side management and timely maintenance critical to prevent large-scale disruptions.
