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 more intense summer load curve. Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) officials expect the peak demand to cross 33,000 mw during May-June, with the possibility of another spike in August-September if the monsoon remains weak. Last year, the state's peak demand reached around 32,068 mw in June 2025, the highest in the country. Despite the surge, UPPCL maintains there is no immediate demand-supply gap, with sufficient power tied up through long-term contracts and market purchases. "The state government has planned availability of around 34,000 mw to meet peak requirements," a UPPCL spokesman claimed. "About 80% of demand will be met through long-term power purchase agreements, while the rest will be sourced from exchanges such as Indian Energy Exchange, Power Exchange India Limited and Hindustan Power Exchange. Additionally, banking arrangements of 4,663 million units have been secured with other states," he added. To bolster supply, new thermal units at Ghatampur, Khurja, Panki, Obra and Jawaharpur are operational, with another unit at Ghatampur expected by April-end. The Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited has projected peak demand of 33,375 mw in June, with May and July hovering between 31,000-32,000 mw. However, the bigger concern is not generation but distribution, which is already showing signs of strain. Reports of transformers failing, cables melting and frequent tripping have begun surfacing even in Lucknow due to heat stress and rising load. This early breakdown of local infrastructure, it is warned, could become a major challenge as demand intensifies further. The situation carries added political sensitivity with assembly elections due early next year. Any prolonged outages risk triggering public discontent and giving the opposition ammunition. In a high-level review on Tuesday, UPPCL chairman and additional chief secretary (energy) Ashish Kumar Goyal directed all discoms to remain on high alert and ensure uninterrupted supply as per schedule. He emphasised urgent maintenance of transformers and lines, warning of strict accountability in case of failures. "Transformers are critical. every effort must be made to prevent damage," he said, also underlining a zero-tolerance policy towards electrical accidents during maintenance work. "The coming weeks will test whether UPPCL's advance planning can withstand the dual pressure of soaring demand and a vulnerable last-mile network, as Uttar Pradesh heads into an election year making the challenge even bigger," a senior energy department official said....