Power demand in Punjab has reached a seasonal peak of 17,150 megawatts, raising concerns as farmers report prolonged electricity outages disrupting rice transplanting and irrigation.

State-owned Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd. (PSPCL) said most thermal and hydropower plants were operating near full capacity. Despite local generation of about 5,189 megawatts, the state remained heavily dependent on the central power pool to meet demand.

Farmers across several districts said electricity supply to agricultural feeders was far below promised levels, forcing many to rely on costly diesel generators to irrigate fields. Rural households and industries also reported frequent power disruptions.

PSPCL denied imposing scheduled power cuts, attributing outages to local technical faults and overloaded power lines and transformers.

Farmer groups staged protests at 31 PSPCL offices across 17 districts, demanding uninterrupted power for irrigation, faster replacement of faulty transformers, withdrawal of mandatory smart meters and increased staffing at the utility.

With Punjab's 2027 assembly  elections approaching, the worsening power situation during the crucial rice-growing season is expected to become a significant political issue for the government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.