Frequent power cuts add to summer misery in Gaya

Gaya: More than half a million residents of Gaya are battling an increasingly difficult summer, with frequent power cuts compounding the discomfort caused by oppressive humidity and heatwave conditions. Around one lakh electricity consumers in the Gaya urban area are facing erratic supply at a time when demand is at its peak.

However, Azad Kumar Singh, executive engineer of the urban supply division, SBPDCL, said the power situation was satisfactory and he had not received any complaints from consumers.

The city’s peak-hour power requirement is estimated at 110 MW, while the adjoining Manpur area needs another 40 MW. Experts, however, say power availability is not the problem.

According to power sector observers, the real issues lie in an ageing distribution network, poor load management, overloaded transformers and planning deficiencies. The shortage of AB switches has further aggravated the situation. These switches help localise power cuts and allow repairs to be carried out without disrupting supply in larger areas.

Power theft also continues to pose a challenge despite frequent inspections. Sources said the use of “jugaad” technology for illegal power consumption remains widespread, causing revenue losses to the power distribution company.

The Gaya urban division has around 1,600 transformers, but transformer failures remain alarmingly high. During a recent meeting with district magistrate Shashank Shubhankar, electricity officials reportedly disclosed that nearly 30 transformers had burnt out on a single day.

Patron of the Central Bihar Chamber of Commerce, Kaushalendra Pratap, said inadequate transformer capacity, overloading and poor maintenance were major reasons behind repeated power tripping.

“Earthing related issues cause voltage fluctuation. Commerce and industries were the worst sufferers,” he said.

Recalling last summer, Kaushalendra said the situation was significantly better.

Residents also pointed to low-hanging cables and poorly located poles and transformers, which they said contribute to traffic congestion and hinder road-widening projects.

Questioning the priorities of the power distribution company, a power user from western Gaya said officials appeared more focused on revenue collection than service delivery. He recalled that India Power, the private company previously entrusted with distribution work, had performed much better.