Unwise use of electricity in winters would prolong replacement of transformers, says KPDCL

Srinagar, Oct 28: Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL), today urged its domestic consumers to "use power judiciously" which KPDCL said shall safeguard DTs (Domestic Transformers) from getting damaged and resulting in power outages and hardships to the people in winter.

In a statement issued here today, a KPDCL spokesperson said that with the onset of winter, heating load has increased with consumers in flat-rate areas using crude heating gadgets like boilers and heaters that critically overload and damage the DTs.

“In metered areas, night vigils have been intensified to check bypassing of meters and hooking by consumers on bare conductor, with the intention to use power unauthorizedly,” it said.

Anticipating DT damage in peak winter and in order to provide succour to the consumers, KPDCL has maintained a buffer stock of 1554 DTs this winter. “In the eventuality of snowfall, stocking of 2030 steel poles, 600 km of conductor and 128 barrels of Transformer Oil has also been done for immediate repair and restoration works,” said the statement.

The power department said that is has also worked out a 'deep reserve buffer of DTs, STPs, ACSR and T. Oil that shall be invoked if any such need arises in peak winter due to heavy snowfall.'

Last winter, a buffer stock of 1412 DTs had been maintained by KPDCL to facilitate the consumers across all 10 districts of Kashmir valley, the department said.

It said, the replacement of a Domestic Transformer with a history of repeated damage would be prolonged amid the "24x7 working schedule" of its technical staff.