Discom powers 2 Covid facilities in 14 days

NEW DELHI: With nearly seven kilometres of underground cables, eight distribution transformers, and 280 workers, power distribution company BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL) has completely electrified two temporary intensive care unit (ICU) facilities set up to treat coronavirus disease patients.

The centres, one at the Ramlila ground near Lok Nayak Hospital

and the other at a plot near GTB hospital, were powered in a total of 14 days.

The two facilities, whch hve 1,000 beds between them, have a total power consumption allocation of 10MW, officials said.

“BYPL had been tasked with readying the power infrastructure on a war footing. We did this in a record time of seven days in each of the two sites. Between the two sites, the discom has laid nearly seven kilometres of underground cables using trenchless technology.

The anticipated power demand at each of the facilities can go up to 5MW . Accordingly, at each of the two sites, four distribution transformers, each with an installed capacity of 1.6 MVA,” a BSES spokesperson said.

To cater to this large load requirement, around 280 officials worked around-the-clock under the direct supervision of the company’s senior leadership team and in close coordination with the state government and other departments, the spokesperson said.

To ensure uninterrupted power supply, back-up provisions have also been made at both the centres.

“Additionally, quick response teams (QRT), with senior engineers, have been stationed in the vicinity of the two facilities, to take care of any contingency. Moreover, the underground cables will be monitored extensively to ensure they are not inadvertently cut by any civic agency while undertaking any excavation work,” the discom said in a statement.