Weeks after fire at Nehru Hospital, PGI floats tender to replace UPS systems

Naina Mishra

Chandigarh, November 5

In the aftermath of the recent fire incident caused by short circuit in UPS batteries at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), the authorities have decided to replace the power supply systems at 12 different locations on the institute’s premises.

A tender worth Rs 1.7 crore floated by the PGIMER encompasses the supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of various capacities of the UPS systems with server and IT networking equipment. The UPS systems will be replaced at Nehru Hospital’s C Block, Nephrology Department, Research Block A, Research Block B, New OPD, Advanced Paediatric Centre, Advanced Cardiac Centre, library, School of Public Health, Drug Deaddiction and Treatment Centre, NINE, Oral Health Science Centre, and Advanced Eye Centre.

The UPS systems will configure to automatically restart after the main supply failure or when the batteries become fully discharged. The project requires battery racks along with battery terminals and interconnecting cables. These batteries should be sealed maintenance-free (SMF).

Integrated SNMP cards and centralised management software, compatible with both Android and iOS mobile applications, will be essential for monitoring and managing the UPS systems.

In case of an emergency, the UPS systems will have one button/command shutdown feature to ensure quick response and safety.

A crucial technical specification is the requirement that UPS systems should not be based on a single power printed circuit board (PCB) with inverter, charger, or rectifier functions on the same PCB. This redundancy ensures that a failure in one component does not render the entire UPS system non-functional.

The decision stems from fire incidents at Nehru Hospital (C Block) and Advanced Eye Centre. Investigations linked these incidents to aging UPS batteries that have exceeded their expected lifespan. By investing in modern and redundant UPS systems, the PGIMER aims at mitigating such risks and ensuring uninterrupted availability of power for critical medical equipment and IT infrastructure.

To cover 12 locations

• Nehru Hospital’s C Block, Nephrology Department | Research Block A | Research Block B | New OPD | Advanced Paediatric Centre | Advanced Cardiac Centre | Library | School of Public Health | Drug De-addiction & Treatment Centre | NINE | Oral Health Science Centre | Advanced Eye Centre

UPS to have advanced features

• Automatic restart
• Battery rack with SMF batteries
• Centralised management
• Emergency shutdown
• Redundant PCBs