Chandigarh Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma on Thursday held a review meeting to assess the progress and key developments of Chandigarh Power Distribution Ltd (CPDL) since it assumed charge of the city’s electricity distribution on February 1.
The Chief Secretary directed the company to minimise power outages and ensure an uninterrupted supply to avoid public inconvenience. He expressed concern over the recent seven-hour-long power cut affecting multiple sectors after the busbar flashed due to moisture at the Sector 56 sub-station.
Company officials explained that anti-hygroscopic paint had been applied as a precaution for the monsoon, but it proved inadequate. They added that dehumidifiers will now be used to prevent such breakdowns in the future. During the meeting, the Chief Secretary was apprised of several major initiatives undertaken by the CPDL to strengthen the power infrastructure.
It was informed that three 20 MVA Power Transformers have been installed, and 28 distribution transformers have been replaced to ensure an uninterrupted electricity supply. Further, the comprehensive maintenance carried out across all grid substations resulted in unlocking an additional 59 MVA capacity, enabling the CPDL to efficiently meet the city's highest-ever peak demand of 465 MW.
The capacity of the round-the-clock call centre has been significantly enhanced by increasing the manpower from 17 to 52 and the number of call lines from 10 to 50.
Additionally, 49 complaint centre executives and four supervisors have been deployed for faster resolution of consumer complaints. Progress under the PM Surya Ghar–Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSG-MBY) was also reviewed, along with key challenges faced by CPDL and the areas where support from the UT Administration is required. The meeting was attended by Secretary of Engineering Prerna Puri, Chief Engineer C.B. Ojha, besides senior CPDL officials and representatives from the administration.