Facing a sharp and sudden surge in electricity demand driven by an intense heatwave, the Bhagwant Mann Government has moved swiftly to ensure uninterrupted power supply across Punjab, with Power Minister Sanjeev Arora asserting that Punjab remains firmly in control even as demand skyrocketed from 7,900 MW to over 12,000 MW within just ten days.
Backed by a ₹6,000+ crore infrastructure overhaul under Mission Roshan Punjab and a nearly 70% reduction in unplanned outages, the state’s power utility Punjab State Power Corporation (PSPCL) has managed to maintain grid stability at a time when several parts of the country are grappling with shortages, positioning Punjab among the better-prepared states to handle peak summer demand.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Punjab Power Minister Sanjeev Arora asserted that the Bhagwant Mann Government has made comprehensive preparations to tackle the sharp surge in electricity demand amid the ongoing heatwave, ensuring uninterrupted power supply across the state under the leadership of Bhagwant Singh Mann. “PSPCL is fully prepared to meet the unexpected rise in power demand during the current summer season and ensure smooth and uninterrupted power supply across the state,” he said.
The Power Minister highlighted the recent surge in demand, stating, “Due to the ongoing heatwave, Punjab has witnessed a sharp jump in electricity demand over the last few days. The State’s maximum power demand surged from around 7,900 MW on 15th April to over 12,000 MW by 25th April, registering nearly 12% increase over last year.”.
Emphasising Punjab’s preparedness, he added, “Despite this sudden rise, PSPCL has successfully managed the demand and maintained grid stability through timely planning, robust infrastructure, and advance power arrangements.”
Minister Sanjeev Arora further pointed out the national scenario, saying, “At the national level also, power demand has touched record highs, with India recording an all-time peak demand of 252 GW on 24th April, while available supply stood at around 239 GW, creating a 13 GW deficit across the country. Several states are facing shortages and outages, but Punjab has remained comparatively better positioned due to proactive planning.”
Referring to the directions of the Chief Minister, he said, “CM Sardar Bhagwant Singh Mann has specifically instructed the Power Minister and the entire PSPCL team to ensure that the public does not face inconvenience due to any power outages, and all departments are working in mission mode to fulfill these directions.”
Detailing the steps taken, Sanjeev Arora said, “Negotiations for 1,500 to 2,000 MW additional power through banking arrangements with other states are in advanced stages.”
He added, “State hydel plants damaged in 2025 floods are being restored, with 300 MW additional capacity expected shortly.”
“Additional procurement from other states and private sources is securing nearly 1,500 MW extra power,” he stated.
“Punjab is preparing to draw 2,000 MW from the Central Government power pool,” he further said.
“Competitive short-term tenders have been floated to procure all available surplus power,” he added.
He also informed, “Waiver of wheeling charges and cross subsidy from 6 PM to 6 AM for two months to encourage more power availability.”
Highlighting infrastructure strengthening, Sanjeev Arora said, “Under Mission Roshan Punjab, a historic ₹6,000+ crore investment is underway to modernize and strengthen the power infrastructure across the state.”
He elaborated, “Major works completed / underway include: 70 new substations being set up, upgradation of 200 existing substations, installation / augmentation of 8,000 distribution transformers (DTs), 688 feeders already de-loaded to reduce overloading-related faults, around 41,000 new DTs installed and 8,380 DTs augmented, 7 new 66 KV substations commissioned, and 82 power transformers fully completed.”
On system reliability, he said, “PSPCL has also significantly reduced unplanned outages compared to last year. By April Week-3, unplanned outages dropped by nearly 70%, from 13,271 in 2025 to 3,974 in 2026, reflecting the impact of ongoing infrastructure strengthening.”
Sanjeev Arora added, “PSPCL teams are working round the clock to ensure reliable power supply to domestic, agricultural, industrial, and commercial consumers during the peak summer season.”
Reassuring the public, he concluded, “The people of Punjab are assured that PSPCL is fully geared up to meet the challenge of rising demand and provide quality power supply across the state.”
During the press conference, Shri Basant Garg IAS, Chairman PSPCL, Shri Inderpal Singh, Director Distribution, and Shri Shoikat Roy, Member PDC, were also present.
