Noida hit by frequent power outages as homes brace for ‘dark’ festival season

Noida residents have been facing power cuts lasting for at least four-five hours in the last 10 days.

Noida residents have been facing power cuts lasting for at least four-five hours in the last 10 days. Residents, angry at having to celebrate the festival season without electricity, said the reason for the power cut is that the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL), Noida, is giving away 50 MW electricity to Ghaziabad. This has also led to voltage fluctuations, they alleged.

Residents said UPPCL officials had assured them that the distribution line would be strengthened to reduce tripping, but nothing has happened till date. (Burhaan Kinu/HT Photo)

“We strongly object to the 50 MW electricity supply to other city, while Noida is reeling under a power crisis,” said AN Dhawan, secretary general federation of Noida residents’ welfare associations (Fonrwa).

“Tripping and technical faults continue, resulting into power cuts. The UPPCL is making residents fool. It has adequate electricity but the distribution fault is a major cause of power cut. We have written to UPPCL top officials to stop 50 MW electricity supply to Ghaziabad on Monday,” he added.

“Power went off around 1.30 am and came back in the morning for hardly half an hour. It went off again and came back around 3 pm. During this period, we had no power and no back up. When we asked a UPPCL official, we got to know that there was a major fault in the sector 47 sub-station. These officials always give excuses for power cuts, which we do not trust. The distribution is faulty and need a complete overhaul,” said Girish Kapoor, resident of Sector 48.

The UPPCL announced a two hour power cut a week ago, because of coal supply shortage to the state power generation plants. Residents objected to the power cut at night.

“Tripping happens many times in 24 hours and that result in a four-hour power cut on an average, daily. We had five-six times tripping in the last two days. This affects electrical appliances,” said Govind Sharma of Sector 26.

He added that the UPPCL should ensure uninterrupted power supply at least during the Dussehra festival.

KK Jain, resident Sector 34, said, “The tripping is a big fault in the department and the UPPCL has failed to fix the problem despite repeated complaints. It is a perennial issue.”

A UPPCL official, meanwhile, said that the power situation is under control.

“The supply of 50 MW electricity to Ghaziabad has not affected our distribution. We have only a two-hour scheduled power cut and this will be resolved soon,” said Mukul Singhal, superintending engineer (SE) UPPCL, Noida.