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Hindustan Times
13-05-2025
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
Lucknow's power infra buckles as heatwave sends demand soaring
As Lucknow reels under the heatwave, with temperatures soaring past 40°C, the city's electricity demand has shot up, recently peaking at over 1,750 MW. The sharp spike in consumption has exposed serious cracks in the city's power infrastructure, pushing it to the brink despite advance planning. Under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), a substantial budget of ₹400 crore was earmarked for the city, with Lucknow Electricity Supply Administration (LESA) focusing on laying underground cables, installing new feeders, replacing outdated transformers and electrical lines, and modernising the power grid to enhance its efficiency, reliability, and safety. At least 32 transformers installed across the city to improve power infrastructure remain non-functional, leaving several localities grappling with frequent outages and voltage fluctuations, severely affecting the existing transformers, many of which are now overloaded and failing during peak hours. In April alone, 85 transformers suffered damage -- 43 in Amausi zone and 12 in Jankipuram. In other divisions such as SES-I, SES-II, SES-III, SES-IV, BKT, and Daliganj, around 30 transformers conked out. In stark contrast, Lucknow central and Gomti Nagar zones reported no such breakdowns, underscoring the uneven quality and resilience of the infrastructure across the city. Localities like Chinhat, Dubagga, Sarojini Nagar, and Matiyari are bearing the brunt of this crisis, with residents frequently complaining of low voltage, especially during the evening when power consumption peaks. For insiders, the problem isn't just unreliable supply, it's also a question of poor governance. 'It's frustrating to suffer in this heat when a transformer installed two months ago was not activated,' says Mamta Dwivedi, a resident of Krishna Vihar Colony. Residents allege repeated complaints to the authorities going unanswered. In preparation for the anticipated summer demand, LESA approved the installation of 500 new transformers, ranging from 250 kVA to 630 kVA, across divisions like Indiranagar, Amausi, Alambagh, Ashiyana, Munshipulia, Rahimnagar, Sitapur Road, Rajajipuram, and Kanpur Road. However, many of these units remain idle due to administrative delays and poor coordination. A case in point is a 250 kVA transformer installed in Adarsh Nagar near Matiyari under the Shivpuri sub-station, which has remained unconnected to the grid for nearly two months. When contacted, LESA officials acknowledged the issue. 'These transformers are part of efforts to improve power supply during summer. If any are yet to be activated, they will be energised soon,' Rajat Juneja, chief engineer of Amausi division, said.
Hindustan Times
25-04-2025
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
Power blues for Lucknow residents amid soaring temps, increased demand
Amid soaring temperatures and increased power demand in the state capital, residents continue to face frequent outages despite repeated promises over the past five years by different ministers to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply. This year, the state government has spent ₹400 crore under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) to upgrade the power infrastructure, but power cuts persist across Lucknow, much like previous years. Despite promises of rapid upgrades, the work under RDSS to replace old, dangling wires with modern armoured cables continues to be sluggish. The project, now in its second phase of implementation, is forcing routine shutdowns across 7 to 10 localities every day. These power cuts, which often stretch from four to eight hours, are frequently carried out without prior notice, leaving residents unprepared, especially during peak daytime heat. In the past week alone, power demand in Lucknow surged by 400 megawatts, with Lucknow Electricity Supply Administration (LESA) reporting a demand of 1,564 MW on Thursday. According to officials, this figure may climb to 2,000 MW in the coming days. While residents are facing short but increasingly frequent outages, the feeder system design is also contributing to larger-scale power disruptions. Each feeder connects 10 to 15 transformers, and when maintenance or faults occur in a single transformer, the entire cluster must be shut down to ensure worker safety. As a result, even minor issues are now affecting more households than before. 'We are witnessing more than five power cuts during the daytime,' said Vishal Srivastava, a resident of Hardoi Road. 'Sub-station staff say that the sudden spike in demand is overloading equipment, causing low-voltage issues and frequent outages.' Rajat Juneja, LESA chief engineer and RDSS in-charge for Lucknow, acknowledged the problem, but maintained complete shutdowns are necessary for safety. 'There is always a risk of electrocution during cable replacement or fault repairs, so shutdowns are essential. However, we are trying to minimise power cuts.'
