Lucknow, May 25 -- Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the second-highest power-consuming state in the country after Maharashtra as rising temperatures and an intense heatwave drive electricity demand to record levels.

However, the surge in consumption has also exposed significant supply-side challenges, with outages at multiple thermal power plants disrupting electricity availability across several parts of the state.

According to Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL), the state recorded peak electricity demand of 30,476 MW on May 22, placing it behind Maharashtra but ahead of major states such as Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan.

Officials indicated that demand is expected to rise further in June, traditionally the period of high...