Terming the Hatia grid transformer crisis unprecedented, the Energy department admitted that missing preventive measures on its part was the reason behind. At the same time, the department hurled another assurance regarding return of normalcy in all the affected areas of the Capital by Tuesday evening.
“Two power transformers of 50 MVA got damaged due to lightening. We completed restoration of one on May 11 and the second is also changed with no load and now ready to be given load. Normal power supply in Ratu, Kanke and Tupudana would resume by 7 pm in the evening,” said Principal Secretary of Energy SKG Rahate while talking to media persons on Tuesday. The Capital city has requirement of 240 MW in peak hours but needed the power transformers to meet the full demand.
Following the more than a fortnight long power crisis that has plunged major parts of Ranchi leaving the residents without electricity for 18-20 hours in a day, Chief Minister Raghubar Das had ordered to suspend two engineers for the glitch and also an enquiry has been initiated into the entire matter.
“Prime facie it seems that had some preventive measures been taken, the damage caused to the power transformers would have been less. That is why the officials have been suspended pending enquiry. I admit that crisis situation has prevailed and we could have cut the response time which was not the case. The panel headed by Chief Engineer (Transmission) and of three other officials would fix the responsibility and also point out preventive measures to be taken for the future,” added Rahate.
One of the damaged transformers is being repaired at Ranchi and would be kept as spare at Namkum grid while the second one would be sent to its manufacturer for making it functional. The official, at the same time, rejected claims that power availability in most parts of the State was dissatisfactory and most of the district headquarters are facing curtailed power supply.
“This is not the correct picture. Apart from Dumka, where there is deficit of 160-170 MW, no district is facing severe power shortage. Power is available in most parts of the State as per the demand and the power cuts are due to local transmission and distribution related issues,” said Rahate and provided details of the demand and supply for all the districts.
He also expressed hope that by the end of May the PGCIl grid under construction at Rupnarayanpur at Dumka would be completed to meet entire demand for the area. Total demand for power in Jharkhand is 2200 MW against availability of 1950 MW in the want to evacuation system in the areas like Dumka and Garhwa. Nevertheless, State’s own generation from its two power plants, PTPS and TVNl is 110 MW and 380 MW, respectively and the rest is met through Central grid, IIPs and power trading company.
When asked about the Centre’s response depicting 68 per cent villages of the State as powerless, the Secretary said that nearly 1800 villages do not have substations or desired system in place and not that those are not electrified. He added that 600 villages had been identified to be electrified under DDUGJY. He also vowed to bring T&D losses from current 28 per cent to the national average 15 per cent in Jharkhand.