Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh is reeling under a severe heatwave, with temperatures touching 46°C in Jhansi and 45.2°C in Agra. The extreme heat is not only straining human endurance but also the state’s power infrastructure. On Wednesday night, electricity demand in UP surged to a record 31,457 MW, breaking all previous records and marking a dramatic rise in consumption due to widespread use of air conditioners and coolers.
Then in a dramatic development, three major thermal units, Anpara, Obra, and Lalitpur unexpectedly shut down, causing a 1,870 MW reduction in power supply at a time when demand shows no signs of easing.
Energy officials now estimate that demand could soar beyond 33,000 MW, particularly during night hours when cooling systems operate at full tilt. On June 8, the state's demand had already hit 30,161 MW, but by midnight Wednesday, it crossed into record territory.
The peak is being driven despite restricted rural supply. Currently, 2 crore rural consumers receive only 18 hours of power due to the rostering system, a point criticized by the Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Consumers Council, which has demanded 24x7 power for villages to balance the grid.
Meanwhile, the Energy Minister claimed that Uttar Pradesh outperformed other major states in power supply: Gujarat (25,230 MW), Maharashtra (25,191 MW), Tamil Nadu (17,867 MW). However, 2,866 MW capacity was offline due to plant issues and state's infrastructural faults, leading to frequent power cuts.
As the monsoon remains days away, residents are bracing for more intense heat and unpredictable power supply.
School holiday extension demanded
Amid the heat, teachers’ associations have urged CM Yogi to extend summer vacations in primary schools. Schools are scheduled to reopen on June 15, but experts warn that children are highly vulnerable to heat-related illnesses like dehydration and sunstroke.
Extreme heat claims lives
Over the past 24 hours, 12 herons were found dead near Kanpur’s Moti Jheel, presumably due to heat stress. This comes alongside four human deaths from heatstroke. Hospitals are also seeing a spike in patients with dehydration, fever, and vomiting.
