UP Records Highest Power Consumption In India Amid Heatwave
The state's power demand reached an unprecedented 31,347 megawatts (MW) on the night of June 11–12, surpassing its own record set just two days earlier.
Amid rising temperatures – 46.2°C in Banda and over 45°C in Kanpur, Lucknow, and other districts – Uttar Pradesh has set a record for the highest-ever power consumption in India, outstripping industrially developed states like Maharashtra and Gujarat. The state's power demand reached an unprecedented 31,347 megawatts (MW) on the night of June 11–12, surpassing its own record set just two days earlier.
According to Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL), this figure exceeded the June 9 record of 31,104 MW, which had earlier eclipsed the previous peaks of 30,161 MW on June 8 and 29,502 MW on June 7.
Last year, the peak demand reached 30,618 MW on June 13. With the current trajectory continuing upward, power officials estimate that demand could soon cross 33,000 MW, likely within June.
UP Surpasses Maharashtra, Gujarat in Peak Power Demand
UP Energy Minister AK Sharma announced on June 10 that Uttar Pradesh's electricity supply had surpassed major power-consuming states such as Maharashtra (25,191 MW), Gujarat (25,230 MW), Tamil Nadu (17,867 MW), Rajasthan (16,562 MW), and Punjab (15,508 MW). Until the previous year, Maharashtra led in peak power demand, with UP trailing significantly. However, UP has now surged ahead.
On June 6, 7, and 8, UP's supply figures of 28,581 MW, 29,502 MW, and 30,161 MW already exceeded the maximum consumption levels of many other Indian states. 'This reflects not only the increasing demand due to the extreme heat but also the robustness of UP's upgraded transmission and distribution system, which has enabled uninterrupted power delivery even under record-breaking load," Sharma said.
Interestingly, the over 31,000 MW of demand currently being met is restricted demand and does not represent the full potential load. Many consumer categories—especially in rural areas, semi-urban towns, and smaller cities—still do not receive 24-hour power supply, with availability ranging from 18 to 20 hours. Official figures show that rural areas receive an average of 18.32 hours of power, while district headquarters, industrial zones, and major cities like Lucknow enjoy uninterrupted supply.
UPPCL chairman Ashish Kumar Goel attributed the continued demand spike to a combination of high daytime temperatures and extreme nighttime humidity, which has led to round-the-clock usage of air conditioners, coolers, and other cooling appliances. 'The surge is also an indicator of rising prosperity, with more households able to afford energy-intensive appliances," Goel said. He added that the number of electricity connections in UP has also grown significantly over the past decade.
Power Use Doubles in 12 Years; Over 34,000 MUs Consumed This Quarter
The state's energy consumption reflects this rising trend. Annual power usage in UP jumped from 81,598 million units (MUs) in 2013-14 to 1,63,852 MUs in 2023-24, more than doubling in 12 years. From April to June 10 of the current financial year, 34,676 MUs have already been consumed, suggesting that the overall annual figure is likely to break previous records once again.
Peak demand in MW terms has also doubled from 15,670 MW in 2013-14 to over 31,000 MW in June 2025. Unlike the past, where there used to be a peak deficit of 2,000 MW, the state today is meeting demand without any major shortfalls. UP Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (UPPTCL) Managing Director Rupesh Kumar said, 'We've anticipated that the peak demand could rise to 32,000–35,000 MW this summer. Given the current trend, we might hit 33,000 MW much earlier than expected."
No Load Shedding Despite Record Demand
Despite the extraordinary pressure on the grid, power officials claim that the state is managing the load efficiently. 'We have ramped up supply from multiple sources, including central allocation and private sector generation, and are maintaining grid stability without the need for emergency load-shedding," UPPCL chairman Goel said. However, he appealed to consumers to ensure timely payment of electricity bills to support uninterrupted supply and grid health.
The state's success in handling peak demand has been made possible by massive infrastructure improvements over the past three years. These include capacity augmentation of transmission lines, installation of high-capacity transformers, establishment of new substations, and replacement of aging conductors and poles. 'This has drastically reduced incidents of low voltage, tripping, and transformer burnout," said Minister Sharma.
Lucknow Logs Highest-Ever City-Level Power Demand
The extreme weather has affected Lucknow as well, which on June 10 recorded its highest-ever electricity demand of 1,940.33 MW. This surpassed the previous record of 1,937.42 MW from June 18, 2023, and reflects a year-on-year increase of 10.24% in peak demand. In the run-up to this record, the city's demand steadily climbed from 1,463.92 MW on June 5 to 1,805.81 MW on June 9.
The Lucknow Electricity Supply Administration (LESA) reported over 5,000 complaints related to supply disruptions on Tuesday night alone, highlighting the immense stress on the urban power infrastructure.
Akhilesh Yadav Slams BJP for Power Crisis, Image Campaigns
Reacting to the ongoing power situation, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav launched a sharp attack on the BJP government, accusing it of failing to expand electricity production in the state. 'The SP government had installed power plants to promote electricity generation. Today, demand has touched 32,000 MW but in the last eight years, the BJP government hasn't added even a single unit to production," Yadav said in a recent statement.
The former chief minister alleged that while demand had soared, the BJP was more focused on negative politics. 'The BJP runs campaigns to tarnish the image of opposition leaders, harasses innocents with false cases, and has completely neglected issues like the pathetic condition of cows in gaushalas," he said.
Addressing SP workers in Lucknow, Akhilesh further alleged that the BJP wants to create anarchy ahead of the 2027 assembly elections. 'The government has failed to manage law and order. In 2027, BJP will be wiped out from Uttar Pradesh, and the Samajwadi Party government will return," he asserted.
Employees Continue Protest But Maintain Services
Meanwhile, the UP Vidyut Karmchari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti, which has been protesting against the proposed privatisation of power distribution in 42 districts for nearly 200 days, reiterated that their employees remain committed to maintaining uninterrupted supply. 'Even during agitation, our engineers and workers are doing everything to ensure consumers face no disruption," said convenor Shailendra Dubey.
Officials, however, noted that with no immediate relief expected from the heat and monsoon still days away, the real test of the power sector lies ahead.
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tags :
power demand uttar pradesh
Location :
Lucknow, India, India
First Published:
June 17, 2025, 16:20 IST
News india UP Records Highest Power Consumption In India Amid Heatwave
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