Power supply hit in multiple areas of Pune hit over fault in MSETCL’s EHV line

Pune: A technical fault in a 220 kV extra high voltage (EHV) power transmission line between Theur and Magarpatta on Thursday afternoon triggered widespread electricity supply disruptions, affecting consumers in Hadapsar, Mundhwa, Camp, Wanowrie, Kothrud, Aundh and Baner.

According to the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL), the fault occurred around 1.20pm, shortly after scheduled pre-monsoon maintenance work undertaken by power utilities had been completed. The EHV line was operated by the Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Ltd (MSETCL).

Both MSEDCL and MSETCL had carried out planned maintenance and repair works between 7am and 12pm on Thursday as part of monsoon preparedness measures. Supply was restored around noon, but the subsequent fault in the Theur-Magarpatta transmission corridor disrupted the network again.

Officials said around 50 MW of load management had to be undertaken to stabilise the system and prevent further cascading outages.

“With rising temperatures, electricity demand has increased sharply and most transmission lines are currently carrying heavy loads. This has limited the ability to restore power seamlessly through alternate routes,” an MSEDCL spokesperson told TOI.

MSETCL EHV substations at National Chemcial Laboratory (NCL), Kothrud and Parvati also had to undertake load management measures, resulting in temporary supply interruptions in areas such as Nanded City, Parvati, Kothrud, Aundh and Baner during the afternoon hours.

Power utilities managed to restore electricity supply to several affected pockets through alternative arrangements, but the flow remained spotty and some areas continued to face intermittent outages.

Repair work on the affected Theur-to-Magarpatta 220 kV line was expected to be completed by 8pm on Thursday, after which normal supply will be restored, a statement said.

Sameer Chawla, resident of Mohan Nagar co-operative housing society in Baner, said, “We were facing frequent power cuts over a long period of time on Thursday. It becomes tough to work from home and even more difficult to bear the heat of summer.”

“We were out of power from 12.30pm till 6pm. There is no planning and proper communication in this scorching heat. There was no way to work as the inverter stopped working in the afternoon,” said Shailaja Tiwari, a Mundhwa resident.

“Nanded City faced a power cut for an entire day as against a scheduled cut in the morning,” said Pankaj Bansode, a resident of a society in the area.