Noida is witnessing a significant and steady surge in electricity demand, driven by the city's rapid urbanization and economic expansion. Power department officials have reported that the annual increase in power demand stands at approximately 120 megawatts (MW).
What's Fueling the Power Surge?
The primary drivers behind this escalating demand are the continuous influx of new residents and the growth of commercial and industrial activities. Data reveals that the city adds an average of nearly 2,200 new electricity connections every month. This translates to an additional load of almost 10 MW being integrated into the power system monthly, which cumulatively contributes to the substantial yearly rise.
While about 170 consumers opt for disconnection monthly, the net addition remains high. The district currently serves around 4.5 lakh consumers, with domestic users forming the vast majority at 85%. Interestingly, while domestic consumers account for 43% of total electricity use, commercial users—though only 1% of total connections—consume a significant 28% of the power supply. Industries, constituting 2% of the consumer base, account for 24% of consumption, a figure expected to climb with new industrial zones developing in the district.
Seasonal Swings and Infrastructure Challenges
The seasonal variation in power consumption is stark. Demand plummets to around 1,600 MW during winter but soars to nearly 3,000 MW in the peak summer months, posing a cyclical challenge for grid management.
To address the rising demand and an aging network, the power department is actively engaged in extensive infrastructure upgrades. This includes repairing old, dilapidated cables, poles, and transformers, and ramping up substation capacity. A significant focus of this upgrade work is on older sectors such as 11, 12, 19, 20, 23, 25, 26, 28, and 29. Despite these efforts, power outages due to local faults in overloaded infrastructure remain a concern for residents.
Billing Reforms and Future Readiness
Alongside hardware improvements, the discom is tackling service delivery issues. Approximately 800 consumers receive incorrect bills each month, prompting the department to issue warnings to billing agencies for more timely and accurate practices. Furthermore, the department receives almost 300 requests monthly from consumers seeking to increase their sanctioned load, indicating growing personal and commercial needs.
Sanjay Kumar Jain, Chief Engineer of PVVNL, emphasized the department's commitment, stating, "We are committed to facilitating these changes and improving service delivery to enhance consumer satisfaction." The remaining 3% of consumers, which include categories like agricultural tube wells, account for the last 5% of energy use.
As Noida continues its trajectory as a major residential and industrial hub, the power department's twin focus on augmenting capacity and refining customer service will be crucial in keeping the city powered and its economy thriving.
