Lucknow, May 26 -- Uttar Pradesh is facing a multi-layered power challenge this summer as, apart from stress on the transmission and the distribution networks due to unprecedented demand amid intense heatwaves, the state is also grappling with a generation side shortfall because electricity is unavailable on the energy exchange for purchase to meet the peak requirement.

The state power utility has been placing bids on energy exchanges every day to procure additional electricity to bridge the demand-supply gap during peak hours in the late evening, but officials said it had not been able to purchase even a single unit in recent days because surplus power is simply not available in the market.

"Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPP...