In order to ensure proper power supply to the farmers during the paddy sowing season, Punjab Power Minister S. Harbhajan Singh ETO inaugurated a 66- KV power substation in Barmi besides laying the foundation stone of the new 66KV substation in Gidderwindi and also dedicated a 10.6 km 66-kv transmission line.
The Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO was accompanied by MLA Jagraon Sarvjit Kaur Manuke, MLA Raikot Hakam Singh Thekedar, Director Distribution PSPCL Er. DPS Grewal, Chief Engineer Distribution Central Zone (PSPCL), Er. SR Vashishat, Chief Engineer Transmission Line Er. Inderjit Singh and SE Sub-Urban Ludhiana Er. Jagdev Hans.
During the occasion, the Cabinet Minister expressed that the Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann is committed to provide quality, reliable and uninterrupted power supply to all categories of consumers of Punjab.
He disclosed that a new 12.5MVA power transformer will be established for this new 66 KV substation Gidderwindi and a new 10.6 KM 66KV transmission line has been erected for this substation. The total cost of the project was Rs 409.47 lacs.
The power minister added that this substation will help in reducing load of 66KV substation Sidhwan Bet and 66 KV substations Kishanpura which will boost the power supply to the villages including Gidderwindi, Lodhiwal, Tihara, Malsian Bajan, Sodhiwal, Janetpura, Sherewal, Kannian Hussaini, Parjian, Bahadurke and Safipura.
Moreover, keeping in view that 66KV substation Sidhwan Bet was supplied power by single source — 220 KV substation Jagraon, a new 10.6km long 66KV Sidhwan Bet-Bhundri transmission line has been erected at the cost of 244.5 lacs.
“Now, this new 66KV link will act as backup supply for substation Sidhwan Bet. The power supply from substation Sidhwan Bet will not be affected even if the power supply from 220 KV substation Jagraon cuts off. Therefore, resulting in 24 hours power supply to all the villages,” he said.
The Power Minister also visited village Barmi in Raikot and dedicated a new 66 KV substation to the public. Harbhajan Singh said that a new 8.0/10.0 MVA power transformer has been established at this substation and 11KV transmission line has been erected. The total cost of the project was Rs 3.86 crores.
“This substation will help in reducing load of 66 KV substation Raikot and 66 KV substation Pakhowal which will benefit 20000 consumers of 15 villages. The villages including Nurpura, Tajpur, Kailey, Burj Littan, Gondwal, Halwara and others nearby villages will be directly benefited from this 66KV substation Barmi,” he said.
Harbhajan Singh said that the government is making continuous efforts to improve the services and in this paddy sowing season the government will ensure 8-hours uninterrupted power supply to the farmers.
He reviewed the preparations and directed the officials concerned to check all transformers and transmission lines and fix the defects immediately, if any.
Sharing the details of timings of power supply for direct sowing of rice from May 20-May 31, Harbhajan Singh said that electricity supply would be provided for eight hours on alternate days to each agricultural feeder.
“The DSR areas have been divided into groups. The group A1 (A) including areas Khanna, Shri Fatehgarh Sahib and Tarn Taran and areas under group A1 (B) including Ferozepur, Barnala and Malerkotla would be provided uninterrupted supply for 8 hours from 8 am to 4 pm,” he said.
He added that similarly, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana (City and Sub-Urban) in group A2 (A) and Sangrur, SBS Nagar (Nawanshahr) in group A2 (B) would receive power supply from 7.30am to 3.30pm.
The group B1 (A) including Faridkot, Moga, Amritsar (City and Sub-Urban) and group B1 (B) including Shri Muktsar Sahib, Fazilka, SAS Nagar (Mohali), Gurdaspur, Pathankot and Ropar would receive power supply from 8.30am to 4.30pm.
Meanwhile, International Border area group (feeders across the barbed wire) and areas- Patiala, Kapurthala, Bhatinda and Mansa would be provided uninterrupted supply from 9 am to 5 pm.