Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, Jun 20: Ever since the monsoon rains started, the capital region has been facing power cuts on a regular basis, and the residents of different sectors and colonies have already started complaining about the excessive power cuts.
“Once it’s gone, electricity comes back hours later, especially from the morning hours to the afternoon. It seriously affects us as these hours are the peak time for the people in our trade,” said a hairdresser in Legi Complex, Itanagar.
Areas like Chimpu, Vivek Vihar, RWD Colony, Niti Vihar and Mowb-II are reportedly facing frequent power cuts in the afternoons and evenings, and sometimes in the middle of the night.
Several colonies in Naharlagun are also facing the same problem. The erratic power cuts are irking the residents and the business community, with the sweltering heat making life unbearable.
“Our business depends entirely on electricity. If this trend of power cuts continues, how would our business survive?” said Raju, a worker in an ice-cream parlour.
Government offices which have their own power generators (DG sets) are able to operate in comparative comfort; however, the offices which do not have DG sets are hit hard by the power cuts.
“The constant power cuts make our office feel like an oven. We cannot focus on anything in such temperatures,” said an officer of the labour department.
The power department informed that some of the 11 kv feeders, such those at the central powerhouse, the RKM and Vivek Vihar, are overloaded, because of which, it said, the circuit breakers of the feeders trip for short periods.
“We are working on transferring a sizeable load from these feeders to other under-loaded feeders, which will minimize, and eventually eliminate, overloading of the 11 kv feeders,” said Itanagar Power EE Joram Lali.
Lali said that, initially, there used to be some amount of overloading in the 33/11 kv electricity transformer in Chandranagar, which had a 13.15 mva capacity, because of which there were power cuts in certain parts, including ESS Sector. However, he said “the problem was resolved by adding a 3.15 mva power transformer, which has increased the capacity from 13.15 mva.”
“Sometimes there certainly will be some impact under the scorching weather, resulting in power cuts in some locations due to overloading. We do not cause the power cuts, and things are under control,” Lali said.
He said short-duration tripping in certain locations generally takes place in the power distribution system, “starting from 33 kv to 11 kv, 440 volts, and 220 volts.”
The EE meanwhile requested the electricity consumers to minimize wastage of electricity, use prepaid energy meters, get meters installed at their homes to reduce electricity bills, use energy-efficient electrical apparatuses and fixtures, and, “most important, avoid illegal, unauthorized tappings and power thefts.”
“If all the consumers start contributing and supporting the department, our systems at various voltage levels will improve, and tripping would be drastically minimized,” he said.
