A cooktop power control system for a cooktop that has a plurality of burners, where the cooktop power control system controls the power delivered from two or more separate active burners to separate cookware items each of which is associated with an active burner. There is a maximum limit of total power that is available for delivery from all of the burners together. The system has a controller that, when a plurality of burners are in sum calling for more than the maximum limit of total available power, automatically alters the power delivered from at least one of the active burners in comparison to the power called for by such burner, the alteration based on both the measured cookware temperatures of the cookware items that are associated with the active burners and the desired cookware temperatures derived from heating control user interfaces that are associated with the active burners.