Assam "Exhausted" Power Plants: Chief Minister Amid Record Demand

Himanta Sarma said: "This is the first time the demand touched 2,500 MW.... The peak hour demand was about 1,600 MW in 2018-19, it was at 1,800 MW in the next two years and reached 1,970 MW in 2022-23"

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today said the state has nearly exhausted its power generation capacity from own sources with the huge spike in demand for electricity this year. The government, he said, is looking at options for meeting the extra power requirement and the situation has improved.

Replying to an adjournment motion on the power scenario on the first day of the autumn session of the state assembly, Mr Sarma said the state has witnessed a sudden increase in demand for electricity during peak hours."The peak hour demand was about 1,600 MW in 2018-19, it was at 1,800 MW in the next two years and reached 1,970 MW in 2022-23," he said.

"This is the first time the demand touched 2,500 MW. Even I do not know what happened, it is unprecedented. The state is anticipating the peak hour demand to reach 3,000 MW next year and 4,000 MW by the time his government's term ends in 2026,"  he added.