HYDERABAD: Two 200kV transformers of Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) fell from their platforms with a loud thud in main Shahi Bazaar on Saturday, causing great panic among pedestrians and shopkeepers and reflecting poor state of the power utility’s transmission system. Luckily, no one was reported hurt.

The transformers fell near Ameer Hamza mosque located in the jurisdictions of Sarfaraz and Memon sub-divisions of Hesco, further stretching the outage already imposed in the area for maintenance and repairs.

The power supply is not likely to be restored until the transformers undergo necessary repairs and are fitted again. Shopkeepers said that luckily no one was injured in the incident as mostly people got hurt from the hot oil that spilled from a transformer after it fell down.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) MNA Salahuddin and MPA Rashid Khilji visited the area soon after the incident. The MNA spoke to Hesco Chief Executive Officer Abdul Haq Memon and said that it was a very dangerous situation.

Luckily, the feeder that supplied power to the transformers from the grid station was off for maintenance precluding the possibility of fire or spark which again could have proved dangerous.

He said that when Hesco officials arrived there he and Khilji pointed out to them other transformers as well which were not properly fitted to poles and sat precariously on their platforms.

The two transformers that fell were also not fitted tightly to the pole that led to the incident. Fortunately, no one was present underneath the transformer at that time in the busiest bazaar of the city.

According to Hesco spokesman, the CEO has asked executive engineer of Gari Khata to ascertain facts as to what had happened and how the incident occurred. The XEN would visit the area to gather facts and submit his findings to the CEO. He apprehended that some nuts and bolts might have got loosened.

Anjuman Tajiran Hyderabad leader Saleem Vohra said that he too had pointed out to Hesco officials the poorly maintained system and said the nuts were not properly tightened and the platform on which transformers were placed was not adequately fitted.

He said that Hesco employees usually placed transformers on the poles in quite a careless manner without ensuring if they had been properly secured or not. “We were told that both the transformers will be replaced as XEN had asked for new transformers,” Mr Vohra said.

Occurrence of such incidents despite regular maintenance of grid stations and feeders by Hesco is worrisome for consumers. The 200kV transformers were too heavy and could not be moved manually. So, a crane was brought to shift them from the area for repairs.

Hesco’s performance has come under spotlight since July 29 when Hyderabad received 188mm of rainfall after which entire Hyderabad and other districts dependent on Hesco’s system plunged into darkness.

The massive power breakdown played havoc with disposal of rainwater in different areas of Hyderabad city, Qasimabad and Latifabad.

Power shutdown in Hyderabad

Electricity shutdown was reported in several subdivisions of Hesco on Saturday under maintenance programme of the power utility ahead of much-anticipated second spell of heavy rains.

The feeders supplying electricity to Phuleli, Gari Khata, Saddar and other sub-divisions connected with Qasimabad and Phulelli grid stations remained off.

Hesco spokesman Sadiq Kubbar said that six feeders remained off during maintenance work in which trees were cut down whose branches got entangled with electricity transmission lines.

He said that private labourers were hired to fell the threes along all the main roads where transmission lines were getting caught up in them and often led to faults in the feeders, forcing closure of the system.

He said that since next spell of monsoon system was being forecast, the maintenance work had been launched now and would be completed in next few days.

Hesco was trying to make sure that power breakdown did not take place in the city to avoid inconvenience to power consumers, he said.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2019