Power situation grim, grid failures continue

PATNA: The power situation in major parts of the state, including Patna, was badly affected on Thursday evening following the shutdown of Gaya and Jakkanpur grid stations.
Soon after the receipt of information, necessary directions have been made to the technical staff posted at Gaya to rectify the problem at the earliest. Some technical officials of the Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB), including member (generation) A K Vishwakarma, have been asked to rush to Jakkanpur to rectify the problem.
The BSEB drew 640 MW of power from the Central sector on Thursday. Bihar''s own power generating plant -- Barauni Thermal Power Station -- could generate only 40 MW of power on Thursday. Muzaffarpur Thermal Power Station has been put on maintenance. It is likely to generate power in a couple of days.
Out of the total availability of 680 MW of power, Patna Electric Supply Undertaking (Pesu) has been allotted 210 MW during day time. Due to the sudden tripping at Jakkanpur grid station, the allotment to Pesu had to be reduced to 190 MW of power on Thursday as against its normal requirement of 300 MW.
BSEB spokesman Arjun Singh said that the BSEB technical staff are engaged in the restoration work at Jakkanpur grid station which is likely to be rectified soon. The BSEB chairman has issued a specific instruction to its technical staff to restore these two grid stations without any delay, Singh said.
Several localities, including Fraser Road, Exhibition Road, Maurya Lok complex, Station Road and Ashok Rajpath, witnessed prolonged power cuts during the evening hours. Several residential areas, including Hardinge Road, Bailey Road, Gardiner Road, Pataliputra Colony, Nehru Nagar, Gardanibagh, Boring Road, Rajendra Nagar and Kankerbagh, witnessed frequent power cuts throughout the day on Thursday.