After Massive Outage, 75% Power Network Restored; Valley Load Rises to 900 MW, KPDCL Says – Alfaaz – The Words

Srinagar: Large parts of the Kashmir Valley witnessed widespread power disruption late Thursday night as heavy snowfall, persistent rainfall and high-velocity winds damaged electricity infrastructure, officials of the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) said on Friday.

Officials said the extreme weather conditions led to an unprecedented dip in power demand, with the system load plunging to 93 megawatts (MW) around 10 pm, compared to the normal average load of nearly 1,650 MW. The network remained live until late night, when extensive faults developed after strong winds and falling debris damaged 33 kV and 11 kV feeders.

They said rooftops of several houses were blown off and landed on power lines, further slowing restoration efforts. At the sub-transmission level, 103 of the 135 33 kV lines, about 76 per cent, were rendered faulty, while at the distribution level, 1,275 of the 1,302 11 kV feeders were down by Thursday morning.

As per established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), restoration work was launched in the early hours and was closely monitored by senior officials, including the Managing Director, Chief Engineer, Superintending Engineers and Executive Engineers. By 4:30 pm, around 75 per cent of the power network had been restored, with the load improving to 900 MW at the State Load Dispatch Centre. Priority was accorded to essential and vital installations, officials said.

Shopian, Kulgam, Baramulla and Budgam were among the worst-affected districts, where snowfall of up to 4.5 feet in higher reaches hampered vehicular movement and delayed repair work.

KPDCL further said that damage to a transmission tower at Sheeri on the 132 kV Delina-Lower Jhelum Hydroelectric Project (LJHP) transmission line posed additional challenges. The Jammu and Kashmir Power Transmission Corporation Limited (JKPTCL) is working to restore the line by installing an Emergency Restoration System (ERS), officials added.