About 50 power transformers damaged in Alipurduar dist

ALIPURDUAR: The Electricity department is facing a significant challenge due to the heatwave experienced over the past month. Approximately 50 power transformers have been damaged throughout the Alipurduar district, with at least 5 transformers destroyed in the district headquarters of Alipurduar within the last seven days.

The main cause of these incidents is attributed to electricity overload resulting from the installation of heavy-loaded appliances such as ACs by the consumers without informing the Electricity department.

According to the Alipurduar regional office of WBSEDCL, around 95 per cent of electricity consumers are installing appliances, including ACs, without notifying the Electricity Department. To get relief from the heat, many consumers have installed new AC machines in their houses without notifying the electricity department. As a consequence, excessive pressure is exerted on the transformers in specific areas, leading to transformer breakdowns and subsequent power outages. Many people have been suffering due to the negligence of certain individuals.

It is known that there are currently more than 300 transformers in the 20 wards of Alipurduar district town. However, the power distribution company does not have an accurate count of the number of new heavyloaded appliances such as ACs, geysers, room heaters, and other electrical appliances installed in the residences in the last one year. Transformer breakdowns have occurred as a result.

Gobind Talukder, the regional managerofAlipurduarWBSEDCL, stated: “Due to the extreme heat wave, many people are installing AC units in their homes. As a result, the power transformers in those areas are operating beyond their capacity, and we have not had a chance to upgrade the transformer capacity accordingly.”

The main cause of these incidents is attributed to electricity overload resulting from the installation of heavy-loaded appliances such as ACs by the consumers without informing the

Electricity department