Power supply restored at all 595 flood-affected areas, says Punjab minister

Giving details, Punjab power minister Harbhajan Singh said the total loss has been estimated to be around ₹16 crore, including damage of around ₹9 crores to 11 kV/LT infrastructure, ₹1.5 crore to PSPCL office infrastructure, furniture and record, besides damage of around ₹5.5 crore to 66 kV substations

Power minister Harbhajan Singh on Tuesday claimed that power supply has been restored to all 595 flood-affected areas in the state. The most affected districts were Rupnagar, SAS Nagar, Patiala and Sangrur.

A view of 220 kV transmission tower near Sutlej in Ludhiana. (HT File)

The minister said the floods caused significant damage to the infrastructure of the Punjab State Power Corporation (PSPCL). “The loss of infrastructure has had a significant impact on the power supply in the affected areas, affecting essential services. PSPCL workforce worked round the clock to restore power supply to the affected areas,” he said in a statement.

Giving details, Singh said the total loss has been estimated to be around ₹16 crore, including damage of around ₹9 crores to 11 kV/LT infrastructure, ₹1.5 crore to PSPCL office infrastructure, furniture and record, besides damage of around ₹5.5 crore to 66 kV substations. The damage includes uprooted poles, damaged transformers, and flooded substations. A total of 20 66 KV sub-stations across the state were inundated, due to which infrastructure was severely damaged.

“The flood water also entered the cable trenches inside the control room buildings and power transformer yards. Heavy rain also caused damage to the roofs of the substations and office buildings,” he said.