LUCKNOW, June 10 -- Uttar Pradesh witnessed an unprecedented surge in electricity demand due to intense heat and humidity, with the state recording its highest peak power demand of the year so far at 30,161 mw on June 8 night, said energy minister AK Sharma here on Monday. Last year, UP's peak power demand reached 30,618 mw, and this year it is expected to exceed 32,000 mw. The scorching heat pushed power consumption in Lucknow to around 1840 mw on Monday. "Despite the spike, the state's power management system successfully met the demand without disruption," the minister claimed and assured that the energy department was fully prepared to handle even higher demand in the days to come. Reaffirming the government's commitment to continuous power supply across all regions, Sharma said all power personnel must remain alert and responsive to ensure that people do not face difficulties during the severe heat. He stressed that power should be supplied as per the fixed schedule across the state, and any complaint of disruption must be resolved without delay. Damaged transformers must be replaced within the stipulated timeframe. The supply in far-flung rural areas should remain smooth and be continuously monitored. Maintenance-related work should not cause unnecessary power cuts, and shutdowns, if essential, must be scheduled in a way that avoids public inconvenience during high temperatures, added the minister. Sharma also urged citizens to cooperate with the administration and avoid wasteful use of electricity in the interest of the state and the nation. "The power department is vigilant and committed. Our goal is to ensure that no resident of Uttar Pradesh suffers due to power shortages during this severe heatwave," he stated. "All regions of the state will continue to receive power supply as per the scheduled distribution. Our staff are alert and fully prepared to handle the increasing demand," Sharma said, adding that prompt redressal of power disruption complaints is a top priority. Many areas in the state capital, including Nadarganj, Aminabad, Kakori, Rahimabad, LDA Colony and Kanpur Road faced prolonged power cuts due to incidents of ABC (aerial bundled cable) burning, cable faults, transformer oil leaks and feeder breakdowns. Citizens reported hourslong blackouts, with calls to power substations going unanswered. In Sector I near Pakri Pul (Bangla Bazar substation), a transformer oil leak at 2:15pm led to a power cut that lasted until 5:30pm, impacting a large area. In Shivnagar Khadra, a burnt lead on a 630 kva transformer knocked out supply to 300 homes until late afternoon. Ismailganj's Kamta area saw a similar outage due to oil leakage from another 400 KVA transformer....