Lucknow, April 23 -- With the mercury soaring across Uttar Pradesh, the state's peak power demand crossed 27,000 mw (megawatt) on Tuesday night at least a month before the usual summer high, signalling a potentially record-breaking season is in store amid predictions for a weak monsoon that may further drive up the demand till mid-October.

Even as both generation planning and the fragile distribution network came under early-season stress in the poll year, official data showed that power demand has been climbing steadily since April 10, when it stood at 21,618 mw, touching 27,272 mw at 10:22 pm on Tuesday. What is unusual this year is the pace. The April demand already matches levels typically seen in May-June, indicating an extended and...