HVPN plans to shift panel to Sec 77 after fire at Sec 107 substation

The 220kV Sector-77 substation, built with gas-insulated technology, has been lying unused for several years due to ongoing litigation

The Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Limited (HVPN) is exploring the possibility of relocating one of the control and relay panels from its defunct 220kV substation in Sector 77 to Sector 107, where a major fire on February 9 destroyed a key control panel, officials said on Monday. 

The aftermath of the fire at the Sector 107 substation. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

The fire triggered a 61-hour blackout, affecting over 10,000 families in 22 residential societies and townships along the Dwarka Expressway. Currently, power is being supplied to nine 33kV feeders through a makeshift arrangement using the second operational control panel, creating a highly vulnerable situation where a breakdown in one feeder could disrupt power to multiple societies, officials said. 

Defunct substation in Sector 77 may provide a solution. 

The 220kV Sector-77 substation, built with gas-insulated technology, has been lying unused for several years due to ongoing litigation between villagers and Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) over compensation for the 15.5 acres of land acquired in 2012 for its construction. The dispute led to the Haryana government de-notifying the acquisition, as costs escalated to ₹682 crore from intial cost of ₹23.25 crore after a lower court order, and the case remains pending in the Punjab and Haryana high court.

Anil Malik, executive engineer, HVPN, Gurugram division, acknowledged the difficulties in accessing equipment from Sector 77. “We have virtually left all the equipment worth several crores untouched there for the last several years. However, the destruction of an entire control panel in the Sector 107 substation has resulted in a crisis situation,” he said. 

Malik added that senior HVPN officials will be consulted about shifting the control panel from Sector 77, as procuring a new one could take three to four months. “Once greenlit, we will take immediate necessary action for executing the plan as the situation is tight for us right now due to the scenario under which we are running the Sector-107 substation with the help of a single control panel,” he added.

Probe into the fire 

According to HVPN officials, a control panel costs approximately ₹5–5.5 crore and is typically sourced from Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) or other firms. While the Sector-107 substation is currently operational with help of only one panel, the charred panel needs to be preserved until an inquiry into the fire is completed.

Meanwhile, the Haryana government has suspended HVPN Chief Engineer Anil Yadav (Gurugram Circle) after it was revealed that officials failed to report the fire incident to Haryana Power Minister Anil Vij and the director of the transmission firm.