90% of power supply restored in Kashmir: Dy CM

Jammu Tawi, January 18 : Deputy Chief Minister, Dr. Nirmal Singh today informed the House that up to 90 percent power supply has been restored in the valley which had been disrupted due to heavy snowfall. He said necessary instructions have been passed to the concerned to ensure cent-percent supply is restored in the region at the earliest

The Deputy CM was replying to the concerns raised by many legislators regarding power supply in the valley, in legislative assembly here today.

Giving details, the Dy Chief Minister said that heavy snowfall started at morning of 6th January and continued till evening resulting in accumulation of about 10 to 12 inches of snow in Srinagar and around 3 to 5 feet in far flung rural areas resulting in faults on most of 33 KV and 11 KV lines.

Singh said 90 percent of power supply was restored at 7pm on 7th January in the valley and 1025 MWs of power supply was recorded against 1150 MW being supplied during this time in normal conditions. He said all 33KV Lines, 11 KV and receiving stations were fully restored by 8th January baring 6.3 MVA Noor Khah Rampora Uri-Power Transformer which developed a snag and is under repairs.

The Deputy CM said 561 Distribution transformers suffered damages in Kashmir during the snowfall in first week of January with majority of them repaired and reinstalled.

He said all arrangements were immediately made to restore the power supply in district headquarters, Hospitals, PHE and other essential services. He, however, said intermittent faults are still occurring on these feeders because of continuous snowfall, which are cleared immediately.

Dr. Singh informed the house that during the intervening night of January 15 and 16, snowfall re-started which continued till noon with around 3-4 inches recorded in Srinagar city while as heavy snowfall was recorded in South Kashmir.  He said the department was well prepared and cleared faults promptly and supplied normal load of around 900-1050 MW throughout the day on 16th January.

He said that since noon January 17, 2017, there has been constant snowfall in the valley and till 7.10 PM, power system did not encounter any major fault, which could have disturbed the power supply. He said 1010 MW of load was recorded on the system and all the 33 KV lines were charged at 7pm on 17th January.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that at 7.10 pm fault occurred on three 33 KV feeders of South Kashmir viz 33 KV Kulgam Feeder, 33 Malakhnag and 33 KV Awantipora-Sangam Lines.

He said fault on 33 KV Kulgam Feeder have been cleared and the line stands charged while 33 KV Malakhnag & 33 KV Awantipora-Sangam is still under fault and shall be restored by  tomorrow (Thursday) as persistent snowfall and dark conditions are hampering the restoration efforts.

Dy CM said Control Rooms have been established under the Executive Engineers at TRC, Bemina, Rajbagh and Rawalpora besides Control rooms being set up at District headquarters.

CNS reported that the Jammu and Legislative assembly Wednesday witnessed pandemonium after opposition termed Dy CM Nirmal Singh's statement on the situation in Kashmir after the snowfall as “far from reality”.

Opposition members requested Dy Speaker, Nazir Ahmad Guraizee, time so that they could speak on the situation, post snow fall in Kashmir valley.

However, Dy Speaker rejected the demand from opposition stating that government has already replied on the issue.

Opposition while assembling in the well of house shouted slogans, “Power supply Bahal karo”, “Nakaam sarkar Hai Hai”.

Meanwhile, Kargil MLA, Asgar Ali Karbalaie was marshaled out of the house on the directions of Dy speaker.

Opposition later walked out of the house raising slogans against government.

Opposition members also urged the government to throw open the Chenani-Nashri Tunnel in the larger interest of the people.

The tunnel will reduce the distance between Chenani and Nashri from 41 Km to 10.89 km, bypassing Kud, Patnitop and Batote.