Lockdown crashes UP’s electricity load up to 35%

LUCKNOW :The lockdown imposed to tackle Covid-19 pandemic has substantially reduced electricity demand in Uttar Pradesh causing loss of revenue to both generators and discoms because of closure of industries and shopping complexes, the major sources of revenue.

UP’s power load crashed up to 35% after the lockdown was imposed on March 25 with all industrial, commercial and professional activities coming to a standstill and the demand being confined largely to domestic and agriculture sectors.

The official data available with the UP Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL), the state-owned distribution entity, shows that the average and the peak demand between March 25 and May 4 this year compared to the corresponding period of the previous year went down by 6% to 35% and 9% to 22% respectively.

“The power demand in UP has taken hit due to the lockdown, the reduction being up to 35% and the dip may continue till all industrial and commercial activities resume operations normally,” said a UPPCL official requesting anonymity.

The data shows that the average demand between March 25 and March 31 was only 9463 MW compared to 12674 MW during the corresponding period in the previous year. The demand between April 1 and April 7 was recorded at 10125 MW against 13458 MW last year, the reduction continuing to be the same, that is, 25%.

The average demand rose to 11201 MW between April 8 and April 14 but this was 21% less compared to the demand (14206 MW) during the same period in 2019. The reduction was recorded to be the lowest between April 15 and April 21.

This was only 6% as demand during this period was 11742 MW vis-à-vis 12557 MW last year.

The gap again rose to 30% between April 22 and April 29. The demand during this period was 11058 MW against 15834 MW last year. The demand reduction recorded on April 30 was also 30% when the load was 12018 MW compared to 17243 MW last year.

The load crash peaked to 35%

THE AVERAGE DEMAND ROSE TO 11201 MW BETWEEN APRIL 8 AND APRIL 14 BUT THIS WAS 21% LESS COMPARED TO THE DEMAND (14206 MW) DURING THE SAME PERIOD IN 2019.

on May 1 when the average demand recorded was only 11147 MW while the demand during the same period last year was as high as 17119 MW. The gap narrowed down to 24% and 18 % on May 2 and May 3 respectively before and upped to 31% on May 4 when the average demand was recorded at 11650 MW against 16801 MW demand recorded during the corresponding period of 2019.

The data further shows that the reduction in the peak demand was at 22% on May 1 and May 3 and the lowest was at 9% on May 2. The difference between the peak demand on May 1 and May 3 was of more than 4000 MW.

The reduction in the average and peak demand is attributed to the closure of industries and markets etc due the lockdown. “Industry alone consumes around 20% of the total power while domestic consumers share is around 46% and that of agriculture 14%,” sources said.

“The UPPCL lost revenue because there was naturally no reduction in demand by domestic and agriculture that consume more power but give less revenue. On the other hand industries, shopping complexes, railways etc that give the maximum revenue with less line losses were all closed due the lockdown,” sources explained.