Punjab meets record 17,423 MW power demand despite central pool deficit

Punjab has met a record electricity demand of 17,423 MW without imposing power cuts due to shortages, according to Power Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond. This marks a significant increase from previous years, where September demand typically hovered around 13,100 MW.

Despite meeting this peak, the state is facing a 1,051 MW deficit from the Central Power Pool. Minister Sond has formally requested the Union Power Minister to ensure Punjab receives its full share to protect the state's agrarian economy. While state-owned thermal plants have sufficient coal following the operationalization of the Pachhwara coal mine, private thermal plants at Talwandi Sabo and Rajpura are experiencing coal supply issues through Coal India.

To support the ongoing paddy season, the state government has implemented measures to ensure continuous 24/7 supply across residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural sectors. This includes providing two extra hours of electricity to farmers to compensate for previous technical disruptions caused by private plant snags.