PDD seeks special funds for repairing transformers during summer

JAMMU: Following “warning by private firms” that damaged electricity transformers will not be repaired unless their bills are cleared on time this year, the Power Development Department (PDD) has sought special funds from the government to clear the liabilities during the summer season when the damage rate is highest.

Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 28

Following “warning by private firms” that damaged electricity transformers will not be repaired unless their bills are cleared on time this year, the Power Development Department (PDD) has sought special funds from the government to clear the liabilities during the summer season when the damage rate is highest.

A senior PDD official claimed that during a survey conducted by the department it was found that the moment installed capacity of every transformer is about six times the total agreed load of consumers listed in a particular area and summer season is the most challenging in Jammu while in the Kashmir valley, it is winter.

“The department does not have the required manpower and infrastructure to repair damaged transformers, so private firms have been engaged. But at times, when the bills remain pending, they refused to carry out repairs and use low-quality parts in transformers,” said a PDD official.

During his budget speech in the Legislative Assembly, Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu had announced that separate funds would be provided for strengthening of transformer banks in the state to ensure timely repair of the power equipment.

Apart from private firms, which repair the damaged transformers, the department has two repairing stations at Pampore, Srinagar, and Gladni, Jammu. As per the data, between 2012 and 2014 nearly 6,000 transformers got damaged across the state, highest in the country.

Recently in a survey the PDD has found that in some city localities inhabited by influential people the transmission and distribution (T&D) losses have reached up to 80 per cent, mainly because of the unregistered load. The department claims that in the absence of proper load schedule, the department has no choice, but to design a curtailment programme for metered and un-metered areas in the state.

The department claims that in Rajpura, Bakshi Nagar and Krishna Nagar area, 78 .85 per cent losses have been recorded. 87 per cent losses have been found in the New Plot-Sarwal area, 60 per cent in Gandhi Nagar, 78 per cent in Channi Himmat, 77 per cent in the Residency road area and 71 per cent in the near Denis Gate area during the past few months.