Srinagar: Heavy snowfall accompanied by strong gusty winds disrupted the power supply across large parts of the Kashmir Valley during the intervening night of January 22 and 23, causing extensive damage to the electricity distribution and sub-transmission network, the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) said on Thursday.
According to KPDCL, severe weather conditions led to an unprecedented drop in power demand in the Valley, with the load plunging to a historic low of 93 MW around 10:00 pm, against a normal average demand of approximately 1,650 MW. The network remained operational until around 10:00 pm, when multiple 33 kV and 11 kV feeders developed faults due to high-speed winds and heavy snowfall.
The utility said that strong winds blew off rooftops in several areas, which fell onto 33 kV and 11 kV lines, causing significant damage to electrical infrastructure and posing challenges to restoration efforts, particularly where damaged roof structures remained suspended on power lines.
At the sub-transmission level, 103 out of 135 33 kV lines were reported down or under fault, leaving only about 24 per cent of the network functional. At the distribution level, 1,275 out of 1,302 11 kV feeders were under fault till Thursday morning.
KPDCL said restoration work commenced in the early hours of Thursday in line with Standard Operating Procedures and is being monitored at all levels by the Managing Director and Chief Engineer, with field operations led by Superintending and Executive Engineers. By 6:00 pm, around 80 per cent of the affected network had been restored, with a load of nearly 1,050 MW recorded by the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC), while giving priority to essential and vital installations.
The snowfall and high-speed winds have severely impacted electrical infrastructure in Shopian, Kulgam, Baramulla and Budgam districts, where snow accumulation of up to 4.5 feet in higher reaches has hampered vehicular movement and slowed restoration work.
The major affected areas include DH Pora, Kund, Malwan and Branel-Lammar in Kulgam district; Sedow, Reshnagri, Herpora, Kaprain and Kuch Dora in Shopian district; and Khansahib, Beerwa, Doodhpathri and Yousmarg in Budgam district.
KPDCL further said that damage to a transmission tower at Sheeri on the Delina–Lower Jhelum Hydroelectric Project (LJHP) 132 kV transmission line has also hindered restoration efforts. The Jammu and Kashmir Power Transmission Corporation Limited (JKPTCL) is carrying out restoration by erecting an Emergency Restoration System (ERS).
The power utility said that men and machinery have been mobilised across affected areas and restoration work is being carried out on a war footing to restore power supply to all areas by dusk.
