The Indian capital is gripped by power cuts of up to 12 hours a day as residents turn on air-conditioners in record numbers to cope with a severe heatwave.

Scorching desert winds have pushed temperatures as high as 45C (113F) in Delhi — and 51C in the neighbouring state of Rajasthan — leaving at least 100 people dead across northern India in the past week.

As a result, power demand in Delhi has soared to a record 4,030 megawatts, outstripping supply by up to 200MW. Monsoon rains, which will help to cool the city, are not due for a fortnight.

Heatwaves and power cuts are nothing new in India, where about half the population of 1.1 billion is not even connected to the electricity grid. But this year’s crisis, which has reached a peak since the weekend, illustrates the yawning gap between the newfound image of the country as an emerging economic superpower and the reality on the ground — even for the well-off.

Stuti Sinha, a 25-year-old banker staying with her aunt in eastern Delhi, says that she has suffered power cuts of 10-12 hours a day since the weekend.

“I’m completely disappointed with the power scenario of Delhi, considering it’s the capital,” she told The Times. “It’s such a frustration to return from work to a powerless home after braving the traffic and heat.”

When the power returned, it fluctuated so much that it fused her oven. To avoid similar trouble, many of Delhi’s 14 million people now have voltage stabilisers and inverters (large rechargeable batteries). A growing number are also installing large, diesel-powered generators — especially in the new residential and office blocks on the outskirts of the capital.

These are expensive to run, however, and economists say that their cost, combined with power cuts, shave between 1.0 and 1.5 percentage points off India’s annual economic growth. Some Indian families have even taken to driving around in air-conditioned cars at night just to get some respite from the heat.

The root of the problem is that energy demand in India is 14 per cent higher than its supply at peak times, the biggest gap in a decade, according to the Power Ministry.

Delhi compensates by buying surplus power from other states during the day and selling its own power at night during “load-shedding” — scheduled power cuts. Its problems have been exacerbated, however, by corruption, bureaucracy and political posturing.

Politicians blame the two private companies that have distributed electricity in Delhi since its state-run power company was privatised five years ago. This year, for the first time, the companies were given the freedom to buy, sell and exchange power with other distributors. But critics accuse them of profiting from sales of Delhi’s excess power in lulls while failing to buy enough for the peaks.

Sheila Dikshit, the Chief Minister of Delhi, threatened in April to revoke the companies’ licences if they did not improve their performance.

The companies themselves, however, blame Delhi’s paltry generating capacity, the changing lifestyles of its middle class and the widespread theft of electricity.

Ajey Maharaj, a spokesman for NDPL, one of the distribution companies, said: “What we inherited was the mess of 40 years. People want a magic-wand effect, but it’s going to take a while to put the house in order.

“The situation will be much better in a couple of years. Until then, we just have to hope it doesn’t get hotter.”

Under pressure

— India’s power plants can produce 132,000 megawatts compared with more than 400,000MW produced in China

— The Indian Government has pledged to provide “power for all” by 2012 by adding another 78,500MW

— Only 85,000MW is available at any given time today and many experts doubt that India can install the extra capacity that fast

— Demand, meanwhile, is growing at between 8 and 9 per cent a year as the Indian middle class sates its appetite for cars, electronic goods and larger homes

— Delhi is among the worst-affected areas. It generates only 732MW and must buy in the rest.

— Power must be bought in advance so an accurate forecast of use is required. Yesterday it had only 3,080MW available, 200MW short of demand

— Unreliable power supply is thought to cost India 1.5% of GDP, or $11.9bn (£6bn), every year

Source: Times database; Confederation of Indian Industry; CIA World Factbook

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