Electricity demand surged to 1,602 megawatts during Laxmi Puja this Tihar, marking the highest peak demand recorded this year. The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) reported this peak demand at 6:25 pm on Thursday, the day of Laxmi Puja.

This year’s peak demand saw an increase of 164 megawatts from last year’s Laxmi Puja, when it reached 1,438 megawatts. The NEA clarified that this figure excludes industrial customers, as industries and factories typically remain closed during the Tihar festival.

To meet the demand, power was supplied from various power plants within the country. Additionally, a surplus of 253 megawatts was exported to India after fulfilling domestic demand during the peak hour.

The overall demand for electricity, including exports, reached 1,855 megawatts on Laxmi Puja this year, compared to 1,955 megawatts last year. -- RSS