New Delhi: As Delhi reeled under extreme summer heat with the temperatures crossing 52 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, the intense heatwave pushed the peak power demand in the national capital to an all-time high of 8,302 MW on Wednesday afternoon, news agency PTI reported quoting officials.

It is the first time in the history of the national capital that the power demand has crossed the 8,300-MW mark. Power distribution companies had estimated the power demand to peak at 8,200 MW this summer, the discom officials told PTI.

According to the State Load Dispatch Centre, Delhi, the peak power demand of the city was recorded at 8,302 MW around 3:30pm.

The previous peak power demand was recorded earlier this month, when it had touched 8,000 MW on May 22.

The city has been braving a prolonged spell of heatwave conditions with the maximum day temperatures in many parts including Najafgarh, Mungeshpur and Narela hovering around 50 degrees Celsius. 

People in northern part of the country have especially been struggling with an unrelenting heat wave that has forced schools to close in some places and raised the risk of heatstrokes for labourers working outdoors.

The IMD expects the high temperatures to persist across the region for the next few days and has put several states on high alert.

Punjab and Haryana also saw temperatures soar, with one place in Rajasthan topping the 50 degrees Celsius mark.

The sizzling temperatures are also taking a toll on animals, putting them at risk of dehydration and heatstroke.

April, May and June are the hottest months in most parts of the country before monsoon rains bring cooler temperatures. But extreme heat is fast becoming a serious public concern as a health crisis looms with the warm weather getting more intense in the past decade, typically accompanied by acute water shortages.