Jaipur, May 30 -- Rajasthan is witnessing a sharp rise in electricity demand due to the ongoing heatwave, with power consumption increasing from 2,860 lakh units on May 1 to nearly 3,850 lakh units on May 27. The state recorded its highest electricity demand of the summer on Wednesday at around 10.15 pm, when the load touched 17,333 MW, posing a major challenge for power utilities amid soaring temperatures. A senior official said electricity demand in Rajasthan has surged due to extreme temperatures. The demand, which stood at 2,860 lakh units on May 1, has now risen to nearly 3,850 lakh units. Officials said the peak demand was successfully met without any power cuts. The official said Rajasthan has surplus electricity availability during daytime hours. On May 21, against a demand of 15,563 MW, power availability stood at 18,751 MW. Similarly, on May 22, the state had 17,497 MW available against a demand of 15,633 MW, while on May 23, availability touched 20,263 MW against a demand of 16,611 MW. The trend continued over the following days as well. On May 24, the state had 19,189 MW available against a demand of 15,500 MW. On May 25, electricity availability stood at 21,285 MW compared to a demand of 15,948 MW. On May 26, against demand of 16,516 MW, supply availability was 20,898 MW, while on May 27, the state had 21,542 MW available against a demand of 16,683 MW. Officials explained that electricity availability drops to nearly 16,500 MW during night hours after the solar power generation stops after sunset. In situations where there is a gap between demand and supply during peak night hours, additional power is purchased through the energy exchange mechanism to ensure uninterrupted supply. The government credited improved transmission and distribution infrastructure under the leadership chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma for helping the state handle the summer power load efficiently. It said continuous monitoring and innovations by Jaipur, Jodhpur and Ajmer discoms have also resulted in a notable reduction in consumer complaints. As part of long-term planning, the state government is working to ensure daytime electricity supply for farmers by 2027. To strengthen the transmission network, 444 substations of 33 KV capacity have been established so far, while work on another 211 substations is underway. In addition, 59 grid substations of 400 KV, 220 KV and 132 KV capacities have been commissioned, and work on 145 more GSS projects is in progress. The state currently has around 7,376 MW of installed capacity from solar projects, including Kusum-A, Kusum-C and rooftop systems, while coal-based thermal projects contribute nearly 7,830 MW of power generation capacity. To prevent tripping and faults caused by extreme temperatures, Discoms have been functioning in alert mode under a special summer action plan. Before the onset of summer, transformer capacity was enhanced by 13,473 MVA, while 4,815 feeders of 11 KV and 33 KV were bifurcated to manage load more efficiently. Around 5,000 circuit lines were additionally expanded and maintenance work was carried out at 3,682 grid substations in the state. The government also highlighted improvements in grievance redressal systems. Power distribution companies have developed a mechanism involving toll-free call centres, customer service centres, central control rooms and nearly 1,129 fault rectification teams for rapid response to consumer complaints. Officials claimed this has significantly reduced "no current" complaints. Meanwhile, Jaipur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (JVVNL) has launched a special night monitoring initiative. Under the initiative, engineers conduct field inspections between 8 pm and 11 pm to monitor heavily loaded grid substations, feeders, transformers and pillar boxes, and carry out load balancing to reduce tripping and voltage fluctuation. Rajasthan is likely to witness a significant change in weather conditions over the next two weeks as a fresh western disturbance becomes active, triggering thunderstorms, strong winds and widespread rainfall activity across several parts of the state, according to the Meteorological Department's latest forecast for the period between May 29 and June 11, 2026. The weather office said thunderstorm and rain activity is expected to intensify from May 29 onwards, particularly over parts of Bikaner, Jaipur, Bharatpur, Ajmer and Kota divisions. Districts in Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Bharatpur, Ajmer, Kota and Udaipur divisions are likely to witness intense thunderstorm and lightning. The IMD also predicted thunderstorm and rain activity may continue in some parts in the first week of June....