Power outages acros scity shine poor light on discoms’ preparedness

Jaipur: Repeated power outages, reported from several parts of the city Sunday, disrupted the weekend for many residents at a time when rising temperatures have pushed up Jaipur’s electricity demand significantly.

Areas like Narayan Vihar, Jhotwara, Sirsi Road were among several others that faced frequent outages throughout the day.

While seasonal peaks in power demand are typical during the summer months, Sunday’s blackouts pointed to a level of unpreparedness among the state’s discoms. They appeared to have fallen short of augmenting load capacity and strengthening distribution infrastructure in anticipation of higher demand.

Consumers across the city complained of inconveniences as supply remained erratic, especially during the afternoon hours. Besides the impact on residents, the recurring outages also raised concerns about grid stability and the ability of discoms to manage peak load efficiently.

“Many outer areas of the city are still not connected to 133 kV substations,” said D D Agarwal of Samta Power, an NGO in the power sector. “The demand in these areas cannot be managed with 33 kV substations,” he added.

Several people with experience in power distribution say that discoms are expected to conduct load assessments in preparation for the summer months, in addition to upgrading transformer capacities, adding new feeders, and strengthening substations in high-demand areas.

SOPs also mandate discoms to undertake routine maintenance such as tightening loose connections, trimming trees near power lines and replacing worn-out equipment, all of which are critical to ensuring smooth operations.

“Frequent tripping not only causes inconvenience but can also pose risks to household appliances,” said a retired electrical engineer.

Voltage fluctuations common when power is restored after an outage can damage common appliances such as air conditioners, refrigerators, televisions and computers, he added.

Given such risks, experts advise people to use voltage stabilisers to avoid damage.

With maximum temperatures expected to soar further over the coming days and weeks, frequent power outages across the city highlight the urgent need for timely improvement of infrastructure and better demand management to ensure uninterrupted power supply.