CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu's daily electricity consumption touched a new all-time high of 472.263 million units (MU) on Wednesday as an intense heatwave, driven by a weak Southwest Monsoon and El Niño conditions, continued to grip the State.
The latest consumption surpassed the previous record of 471.456 MU recorded on April 24, 2026, reflecting sustained high electricity usage as temperatures remained well above normal across several districts.
The surge in power demand coincided with sweltering weather in many parts of Tamil Nadu, particularly the interior districts, where maximum temperatures crossed the 40°C mark. Vellore recorded the State's highest temperature at 41.6°C, while Madurai and Tiruttani also registered temperatures exceeding 40°C.
Chennai too endured oppressive heat, with Nungambakkam recording a maximum temperature of 39.4°C, the city's highest July temperature since 2019.
The state's peak power demand stood at 21,520 MW on Wednesday, a day after it touched a record 21,724 MW on Tuesday, surpassing the earlier all-time high of 21,629 MW recorded on July 13. Before this week's spike, the previous record peak demand was 21,307 MW, logged on April 29, 2026.
A senior power sector official said that air-conditioner usage has increased significantly throughout the day as people sought relief from the persistent heat, contributing to the record electricity consumption