BESCOM has started its Transformer Maintenance Campaign ahead of the rainy season in the city.
Bengaluru: Heavy rains and thunderstorms in the city have caused severe damage to the city’s power supply system. Trees and branches got uprooted and fell on the electric lines causing power breakdown in various parts of the city.
Due to the heavy downpour and strong winds, various trees and electric poles were uprooted from the ground, and of which various parts of the city had to suffer from power cuts. Around 60 trees and branches fell on the electric poles and the transformers.
In the week, around 200 poles have been uprooted from the ground which were immediately repaired and the electricity was restored within two hours.
“Whatever possible safety measures we can take within the available resources, we are doing that. In the past week, over 200 poles have broken and have been replaced. To repair one transformer, we will at least need two hours. The transformers are durable enough to face heavy rains – it is just because of the heavy winds that trees fall on the lines which then break the poles and that causes power breakdown,” said Rajesh N. M., the assistant engineer at Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company Limited.
The residents of the city are also cooperative and understand the situation of the BESCOM workers.
Vijay who is the resident of Kumaraswamy Layout said, “Yes, power cut happens but it comes back within an hour. During the rainy season, it is understandable that trees fall on the poles. But the system is very good and is very alert all the time. Whatever it is, the electricity gets restored after the work gets done.”
BESCOM has started the campaign to maintain the transformers and keep them ready and prepared for the forthcoming rainy season. There is a total of 4,55,600 transformers in the city out of which 3500 have been inspected, and 1932 transformers have been repaired and replaced.
The campaign started on the 5th of May and will conclude on the 20th of May. By then, BESCOM is supposed to inspect the infected transformers and change them.
