Investing in resilient power infrastructure need of the hour

Inform PSPCL about power outages

Strong winds and rains often leave a trail of destruction across the power infrastructure in any area. Winds uproot trees and leave broken poles and live wires strewn across roads, posing serious safety threats. As a result, many areas remain without power, causing disruptions in residents’ lives. Rain can make it harder for technical staff to identify and rectify the faults leading to prolonged outages. The residents should inform the PSPCL or other relevant authorities about daily power issues they encounter, preferably through the PSPCL’s consumer service app to register and track their complaints. To mitigate these issues, the PSPCL should move to underground cabling and upgrade transformers and transmission lines. The PSPCL should also push for the use of monopoles in congested areas to boost safety and stability during strong winds. A lack of regular maintenance of electric lines by the PSPCL can be a major reason behind erratic power supply. Officials of the PSPCL should ensure to carry out regular maintenance and respond quickly to faults for providing uninterrupted power supply to consumers. During extended outages, consider installing an inverter, UPS etc.

RS Sembhi

Better planning, infra upgrade needed

After spells of strong winds and heavy rains, power supply interruptions are a common issue encountered by consumers. Authorities often conduct these outages as a precautionary measure to ensure safety and protect infrastructure. However, these disruptions impact not only households, but also emergency services, hospitals and industries. Heavy rains and gusty winds often cause tree branches to break and fall on power lines, creating a fatal risk. In addition, rainy weather creates wet conditions, increasing the risk of electrocution or short circuits. To address this issue, the authorities concerned must undertake frequent tree trimming in close proximity to electrical lines and install weather-resistant equipment, which can considerably lessen the risk of mishaps. In the long run, putting open wires underground in vulnerable zones can provide a considerable solution. Furthermore, quick-response maintenance personnel and new monitoring systems can help discover faults swiftly and restore supplies more quickly. With better planning and infrastructure upgrades, power interruptions during bad weather can be minimised.

Novin Christopher

Replace overhead cables

Power outages due to wind and rain show the vulnerability of overhead transmission lines and aging equipment. The most effective move that the authorities concerned could make is to progressively transition from overhead to underground cabling, particularly in densely populated regions. Underground cables are significantly less vulnerable to damage from falling trees, severe winds or waterlogging, and while the initial investment is high, the long-term benefits of reliability and lower maintenance costs make it beneficial. Along with this, the electricity department should build a rapid response mechanism to address outages. Dedicated crews, equipped with contemporary tools and vehicles, should be dispatched to swiftly detect and repair defects, reducing downtime for customers. This combination of preventive infrastructure improvement and swift crisis management will ensure that citizens are not deprived of basic necessities like electricity and water during adverse weather, thereby strengthening public confidence in the authorities.

Tamanpreet Kaur Khangura

Use smart grid technology

Power disruptions after windy weather and rains occur due to several factors, including strong winds knocking down power lines, heavy rains damaging insulation elements, and lightning strikes overloading transformers. Trees swaying in the wind can also snap high-voltage power lines or fall onto nearby lines, resulting in outages. To address this issue, authorities concerned can take several steps such as investing in underground power lines or upgrading existing infrastructure to make it more resilient to severe weather. Conducting regular tree trimming and vegetation management to prevent branches from interfering with power lines. Installing surge protectors and transient voltage suppressors to safeguard against power surges. Developing contingency plans and emergency response strategies to quickly restore power and minimise disruptions. Implementing smart grid technologies and microgrids to reduce reliance on centralised power systems and enhancing overall grid resilience. By implementing these measures, the authorities concerned can reduce the frequency and duration of power disruptions, ensuring a more reliable supply of electricity and water to consumers.

Jaspreet Kaur

Govt, people should work in tandem

Electricity supply often gets disrupted during heavy rainfall because power lines get entangled with nearby trees and sometimes even snap. As a result, residents are left without electricity for several hours. The government must ensure that transport pipes are made of stronger materials and that they are not installed close to trees. In case of any breakdown, the department should reach the site immediately and restore supply without delay. At the same time, people must also act responsibly by lodging complaints as soon as possible so that the authorities concerned are alerted in time. Quick reporting allows the department to take prompt action and reduce inconvenience. If both the government and the public fulfill their responsibilities, such difficulties can be minimised to a great extent. Ultimately, uninterrupted electricity is not only a matter of comfort but also of necessity. A joint effort between citizens and the authorities is essential to ensure reliable power supply during the rainy season.

Ishpreet Kaur

Old transformers should be replaced

It has become common for power outages to occur every time there is wind or rain, which causes great inconvenience to people. It is a huge problem for all of us. A solution to this problem could be to strengthen the power wires and poles as sometimes trees fall or wires break due to wind. If they are strengthened, the damage will be less. In a big city like Ludhiana, power outages are a major inconvenience for the common people. Wires should be checked and repaired every month. Old transformers and wires should be replaced with new and stronger equipment. People should be made aware not to plant trees near wires, not to use electricity improperly, and to report problems immediately if they are noticed. Whenever someone files a complaint, the electricity department should immediately rectify it.

Prabhjot Kaur

Make people aware of safety precautions

The issue of disrupted power supply during windy and rainy weather is an important matter from the consumers’ point of view. This problem causes many other issues, too. The authorities concerned must ensure the safety of people. The structure and material of the wires should be checked from time to time, and if they are of high quality, the risk of electric shock can be minimised. Proper power supply will then be ensured for the people even in windy, cloudy and rainy weather. Advanced technologies should be adopted from metro cities by the authorities, and this issue can be reduced by their efforts. Along with this, people should also be made aware of safety precautions during power failures and faulty wiring so that accidents can be prevented.

Navneet Singh

Proper earthing must be prioritised

To address rainy-season electricity disruptions, you can implement both preventative measures and backup solutions: preventative measures include insulating and waterproofing electrical components, using surge protectors, upgrading old wiring, and installing GFCI outlets; backup solutions involve using solar panels with battery storage, automatic generators, UPS for electronics and keeping portable device batteries charged to ensure power continuity and protect devices. Have a qualified electrician inspect your home’s wiring and replace old or damaged cables with modern, insulated materials to prevent issues during increased loads from moisture. Install ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) in damp areas to prevent shocks by shutting off power during faults and consider arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) to prevent fires from arcing wires. To prevent electrical disruptions during the rainy season, the authorities concerned should conduct pre-monsoon electrical system inspections, ensure outdoor equipment is weatherproof and elevated, install protective devices and prioritise proper earthing for all installations. They should also ensure that all electrical installations have proper insulation and enclosures to prevent water ingress and seepage, and have a system in place to promptly address and repair any detected issues to minimise public risk.

Sukhdev Sharma

Weather-resistant transformers needed

Power supply often gets disrupted after windy weather and heavy rains due to several reasons. Strong winds may uproot trees or break branches that fall on overhead lines, causing faults and short circuits. Heavy rainfall leads to water seepage into transformers, substations and cables, damaging equipment. Since most towns still depend on long, exposed overhead lines, they remain highly vulnerable during storms. Sudden voltage fluctuations from lightning or short-circuits can overload feeders and trip transformers. As water supply in most areas relies on electric pumps, power cuts automatically halt water distribution too, worsening the inconvenience. To address this recurring issue, the authorities concerned must adopt preventive measures such as underground cabling in storm-prone areas, regular tree trimming and strengthening infrastructure with insulated wires and weather-resistant transformers. Smart grids and automation can detect faults quickly, while rapid-response teams and backup systems for essential services ensure citizens are not deprived of basic needs.

Jagjit Singh

Being responsible citizens need of hour

During heavy rains and windy weather, city dwellers often face electricity outages, resulting in numerous problems for people. It is typically due to heavy winds blowing, which disrupt the electricity cables and cause them to swing heavily, resulting in a supply cut-off. A lack of power supply is followed by a shortage of water. To curb this, citizens need to be responsible and should maintain power backups in their inverters. The societies should ensure the availability of generators for their areas so that at least basic use of electricity is possible. To ensure that not much problem is faced, all the electric devices should be charged by all people, and also water motors should be filled up so that water supplies can be maintained. Further, the electricity department needs to ensure that if there’s any short circuit or electricity problem in an area, they should send their engineers at the earliest and solve the grievances. For this, the citizens need to be aware of their rights and responsibilities and should register a complaint online to seek prompt action. Being aware and responsible is the need of the hour, and also, each of us should help each other in all ways possible in the face of such adversity.

Tanveen Kaur

Use generators at water supply stations

Weak infrastructure is the primary cause of power and water supply outages during windy and rainy conditions. The authorities concerned should prioritise taking steps in advance so that power cuts don’t happen easily by strengthening power lines, trimming trees near wires and upgrading old equipment. Overhead wires can be gradually replaced with underground cabling, especially in storm-prone areas, as these are safe from wind and rain. Stronger, weather-resistant poles must be used in place of old, wooden ones, and insulated wires must be used to prevent short circuits. In order to prevent people from experiencing water shortages during extended outages, backup generators must be installed at water supply stations. After storms, quick-response teams should be sent out to begin repairs right away.

Sahibpreet Singh

Dept should have quick-response teams

After every spell of rain or strong winds, power supply in our area gets disrupted for hours. This not only causes inconvenience but also affects water supply and daily routines. The main reason is the weak infrastructure, old wires and trees falling on power supply lines during bad weather. The authorities concerned should take preventive steps like replacing old cables, laying wires underground where possible, and trimming trees near poles before the rainy season. Quick-response teams must be available to restore supply without long delays. Also, people should be informed in advance through SMS or social media about expected repair times. Uninterrupted electricity is a basic need, and timely action can save citizens from unnecessary hardship.

Harneet Kaur

Multi-pronged approach needed

Disruption in power and water supply after rain is a chain reaction. Most water supply systems rely on electric pumps to move water from treatment plants to storage tanks and then into our homes. When power goes out, these pumps stop working. The main reason of the outage is trees growing too close to power lines. These fall onto the lines, either snapping them or causing a short circuit. This is the most common cause of outages during storms. Addressing this requires a multi-pronged approach, combining modern technology, proactive maintenance and strategic investment. There is a need to implement a rigorous and continuous cycle of tree trimming and vegetation control along all power line corridors. This is the single most effective way to prevent storm-related outages. The electricity board should use concrete or steel poles instead of wooden ones in critical areas with insulated wires instead of bare ones. This prevents faults when trees or animals touch them. Board must install sensors and automated switches along the grid (often called a smart grid).

Mohd Saleem Farooqui

Authorities should become proactive

The disruption after windy and rainy weather is fundamentally due to an overhead electricity grid coming into violent contact with its environment. The solution lies in authorities moving from a reactive model (waiting for a fault to happen and then fixing it) to a proactive and resilient model. The solution is that there should be aggressive tree trimming, grid hardening, automation such as smart grid tech to minimise the impact of faults etc. While this requires significant investment, the economic and social cost of repeated prolonged outages such as a loss of productivity, spoiled food, health risks from lack of water make a strong case for these necessary upgrades. Also, one may have noticed that rain can seep into equipment if seals are old or damaged. Water can provide a conductive path for electricity, leading to short circuits and flashovers. Dust and pollution that accumulate on insulators turn into mud when wet, which can also conduct electricity and cause a short circuit. Attention must be given to this. Mandating and installing backup power systems (large diesel generators or battery storage) at critical water pumping stations and treatment plants should be done. Electricity board must developed a robust communication systems to inform customers about outages, expected repair times and progress of work.

Farzana Khan