Vizag Power Demand Peaks Amid Heatwave

The severe heatwave conditions prevailing across Visakhapatnam district have led to a substantial increase in electricity consumption, with power demand crossing the 1,000 MW mark multiple times this month.

According to officials of the power utility, the city recorded a peak demand of 1,014 MW on Thursday, while electricity consumption touched 20.43 million units, considerably higher than the figures recorded during the corresponding period last year.

With temperatures remaining high even during evening hours, residents are increasingly relying on air conditioners and cooling appliances. Though experts recommend maintaining air conditioners at 24 degrees Celsius to ensure efficient power usage, many consumers are reportedly operating them at lower temperatures owing to the intense heat conditions.

Commercial establishments, including shopping malls and cinema theatres, are also witnessing increased electricity usage due to the continuous operation of air-conditioning systems. Theatre operators said a section of visitors, particularly during matinee shows, are choosing cinema halls to escape the heat.

Official data showed that the average electricity demand in Visakhapatnam Circle during May 2025 stood at around 750 MW, with the highest demand recorded at 889 MW. In contrast, during the first three weeks of May this year, demand crossed 1,000 MW on six occasions and exceeded 900 MW on several other days.

Several parts of the district recorded temperatures above 41 degrees Celsius on Thursday. Mulagada registered the highest temperature at 45.2 degrees Celsius, followed by Visakha Rural at 44.6 degrees Celsius. Maharanipeta, Padmanabham, Seethammadhara, and Pedagantyada recorded 44.1 degrees Celsius.

Visakhapatnam Circle Superintending Engineer Shyam Babu said special teams had been deployed across all sections to attend to transformer failures and power disruptions arising from excessive load and high temperatures.

He said nearly 1,500 field personnel had been kept on alert and a 24×7 monitoring cell had been established at the Suryabagh Circle Office to ensure uninterrupted power supply across the district.