Punjab has seen more increase in electricity demand in December this year as compared to last year’s winter. Experts are seeing it linked to the 300 free units of electricity being given in the state. According to the government data, in the last two months, 91 percent of the residents in the state have received zero electricity bills (Punjab Electricity Bill Subsidy).
There has been an increase of 19 percent in the demand for electricity as compared to the same day on December 3 last year. Last year, the consumption was 6,033 MW while this year it was 7,156 MW.
Power demand fluctuations
According to the report of the Indian Express, till December 25, the consumption of electricity on December 1 was 7,205 MW as compared to 6,170 MW last year, registering a growth of 17 percent. The demand on December 2 stood at 6,771 MW as compared to 5,966 MW last year, registering a growth of 13 per cent. Similarly, on December 7, the demand was 7,783 MW as compared to 6,893 MW last year, which shows an increase of 13 percent. Demand increased to 8,008 MW on 24 December, compared to 6,789 MW on the same day last year. It showed an increase of 18 percent. Similarly, the total consumption as on December 15 was 7,239 MW as compared to 6,460 MW last year, an increase of 12 per cent.
Demand remained low for only two days
Only on two days, 18 and 20 December, Punjab saw a reduction of 4 per cent in consumption each day as compared to the same days last year. Where the demand was 6951 MW on December 18, last year it was 7,204 MW. The demand on December 20 was 6,596 MW as compared to 6,889 MW last year. Officials of the power department said that if there is an increase in power demand even by 5 per cent, the change is not considered drastic, but there have been days when the demand has increased by 19 per cent or more. This shows that the families which were using less units are using 300 free units (Punjab zero power bills) in a month. Significantly, the government had implemented 300 free units from July.
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