Disruptions affect power supply

Poor maintenance of transformers and laying of underground electricity wire network to take the blame

Denizens may have to sweat it out due to unscheduled power cuts. This time the power cuts are not due to increasing energy demand but because of the poor maintenance of the transformers and laying of underground electricity wire network. The officials of the TSSPDCL (Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited) said that technical glitches have been reported at many of the transformers due to delay in overhauling.

In some areas, faulty electric lines, use of low quality fuse wires were the main reasons for developing technical glitches in the supply of power. Of 10,000 transformers, over 40 per cent were found to be outdated and needed to be replaced. Depending on the intensity of the repair works, power supply is being stopped for 30 minutes to two hours in residential colonies. In the developed residential colonies like Malkajgiri, Dilsukhnagar, LB Nagar and Uppal areas, the underground cable laying works and connecting the new lines to the existing poles forced officials to cut power supply intermittently in the last two weeks.

The officials said that all the zonal offices have been instructed to take up the repair works on war footing and address complaints immediately. However, officials denied that there were any unofficial power cuts. “There is no gap between demand and supply,” they said.

“At present the power demand in the city is around 1,160 MW and it may go upto 1,500 MW during peak summer in April and May. The energy department has already made arrangements to meet the demand by purchasing power form the power exchange if necessary,” officials added.