Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s government is racing to bolster Delhi’s power infrastructure to meet an anticipated electricity demand surge by 2029. At a high-level meeting on Friday, Power Minister Ashish Sood directed officials to draft a comprehensive Power Master Plan for 2026-29 to prevent blackouts in the capital.

Delhi Transco Limited (DTL) reported that the city’s transmission network, currently operating at over 90% capacity, needs urgent upgrades. DTL aims to boost transmission capacity to 24,000 MVA by 2029, far exceeding the projected peak demand of 11,000 MVA. However, delays in critical projects, including two substations at Gopalpur and Tikri Khurd expected to add 4,000 MVA, have raised concerns. Stalled since 2022-23 due to bidding and clearance issues, these projects prompted Sood to demand explanations for the holdup.

“Why haven’t past expansions eased the strain?” Sood questioned, as officials noted that upgrading aging substations and installing new ones could reduce grid load to 70% if timelines are met. The three major discoms—TPDDL, BRPL, and BYPL—presented a ₹1,937 crore plan to install transformers across Delhi, but highlighted a major obstacle: land acquisition. Urban congestion has made securing space for new infrastructure challenging.

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To address this, Sood instructed the Power Secretary to coordinate with MLAs and agencies like the DDA and MCD to fast-track land approvals. With rising power demand fueled by hotter summers, population growth, and increased consumption, the government acknowledges the urgency. The Power Master Plan, coupled with a focus on smart meters and renewable energy integration, aims to ensure a stable supply, but timely execution remains critical.

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