Ludhiana: Fog triggers 8-hr power cut in industrial areas

The situation was further compounded by low visibility during night hours, which slowed down inspection and fault-detection work

Industrial units located in Sunder Nagar and along Rahon Road faced a prolonged power outage lasting over eight hours, from 2.30 am to 10 am on Friday, disrupting manufacturing activity during the peak production season. The affected belt houses several hosiery units, packaging units and other ancillary industries that operate round the clock.

Industrialists in the area expressed concern over the frequent power disruptions during a critical production period. (HT Photo)

Officials of the power department said the disruption was caused by dense fog and high moisture levels in the air during the night of Thursday and early hours of Friday. The conditions led to repeated tripping of multiple industrial feeders supplying electricity to the area. The officials explained that moisture accumulation on overhead lines results in insulation failure, leakage current and short circuits, forcing shutdowns to prevent damage to the system.

The situation was further compounded by low visibility during night hours, which slowed down inspection and fault-detection work. Even after extensive checks, officials said visible faults are often not detected during fog-induced tripping, prolonging the restoration process.

Gurpreet Mehdoodan, divisional president of the Punjab State Electricity Board Employees Federation, said fog-related faults frequently affect feeders supplying power to Rahon Road and adjoining industrial pockets, particularly during night hours. He said such disruptions often occur without prior warning and take longer to resolve as inspections fail to pinpoint the exact fault location.

Industrialists in the area expressed concern over the frequent power disruptions during a critical production period.

Harmandeep Singh, who runs a hosiery unit on Rahon Road, said this is the busiest time of the year for manufacturers, with units working in multiple shifts to meet delivery deadlines. “Unexpected power cuts disrupt production schedules, delay shipments and increase operational costs,” he added. He also complained about the lack of timely information on restoration timelines.

Echoing similar concerns, Rajinder Agrawal, owner of a packaging unit in the area, said sudden power outages cause machines to stop mid-process, leading to jerk load and potential damage to motors. He said restarting operations after supply is restored consumes additional time and results in wastage of raw material and production hours.

Responding to the complaints, Khushwinder Singh, sub-divisional officer of the Sunder Nagar division, said four to five 11 kV feeders were affected due to fog around midnight on Friday and that repair teams were deployed immediately and power supply to all affected areas was restored between 9 am and 10 am.