CHANDIGARH, June 13: Chandigarh witnessed a historic surge in electricity demand on Thursday, with power consumption peaking at an unprecedented 465 megawatts around 3:30 pm, driven by relentless heat and heavy use of air-conditioning systems.
The soaring temperatures led to scattered power outages across several parts of the city over the past 24 hours. In Sector 30-B, residents reported a blackout lasting from 3 am to 10 am. Similar complaints were received from southern sectors, including Sector 47-D, 38 and 45-C, where intermittent disruptions added to the discomfort.
“This heat is unbearable, and we had no electricity for hours. It’s becoming impossible to cope,” said a Sector 30-B resident.
Despite the record-breaking load, officials from the Chandigarh Power Distribution Limited (CPDL) maintained that the system held up without any major supply breakdown. “While the demand surge is historic, our teams managed the peak load efficiently, even under immense stress on our ageing infrastructure,” a CPDL spokesperson said.
The power utility attributed the spike to prolonged heatwave conditions, which have pushed the city’s electricity infrastructure to its limits. Just two days earlier, on June 11, the demand had already reached a staggering 452 MW — the previous highest.
Officials said CPDL has ramped up network monitoring and rapid response units to prevent larger-scale disruptions. “We’ve intensified ground-level coordination and reinforced monitoring to manage the growing strain on the grid,” the official added.
With temperatures expected to remain high, authorities are urging residents to use electricity judiciously as the city’s power infrastructure braces for continued pressure in the days ahead.
