Pune Floods: MSEDCL Restores Electricity to Over 97% of Affected Areas; 2,400 Consumers Still Without Power In Ektanagari

Pune, 26th July 2024: Amid heavy rainfall, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited’s Pune circle engineers and employees have successfully restored electricity to 97.7% of its consumers, ensuring power supply to approximately 117,365 out of 120,000 customers by reactivating 1,296 out of 1,327 transformers. Efforts continued late into the evening on Friday to stabilize power supply to around 31 transformers in Ektanagari (Sinhgad Road), Maval, Lonavla, and other areas.

In Ektanagari on Sinhagad Road, electricity supply to about 65 societies was interrupted when 19 transformers were submerged on Thursday. Engineers and employees, with the cooperation of local societies, restored power to 14 transformers by ensuring safety measures and draining the water. Of the remaining five submerged transformers, three were damaged and replaced within an hour using JCB machinery. For safety reasons, two transformers remain offline. Approximately 2,400 consumers still have no power due to waterlogged meter rooms.

Power restoration work is ongoing for 23 transformers in the Maval area, Bhorgiri, and Karla. Challenges such as muddy, slippery roads and soil subsidence are hindering repair efforts. Additionally, work extended into the evening to restore power to about 350 consumers in Rao and Kondhve Dhawade.

Heavy rains in Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad, and the talukas of Mulshi, Maval, and Khed, along with dam water release, severely impacted the electricity system in riverside areas. On Thursday, power supply to 119,865 consumers was halted due to falling trees, cracked systems, and waterlogged areas. As a precaution, 90% of these customers experienced power shutdowns. Once the rains subsided, MSEDCL crews worked diligently to ensure the safety and restoration of electricity, successfully reactivating 1,182 out of 1,327 transformers and restoring power to 107,700 customers by early Friday morning. By the end of the day, an additional 9,665 customers had their power restored.

Chief Engineer Rajendra Pawar, along with Superintending Engineers Sinhajirao Gaikwad, Yuvraj Jarag, and Arvind Bulbule, inspected various sites until late at night to oversee and expedite the repair work, ensuring that power restoration efforts were conducted swiftly and safely.