Navi Mumbai, Thane likely to experience load shedding till October 14: Report

Representative Image (Reuters)

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) is likely to continue experiencing load shedding at least till October 14. The city experienced its first power outage in years after the unexpected incident left most parts without electricity on October 12.

Load shedding will continue for at least another two days in Ambernath, Badlapur, Kalyan, Panvel, Vasai-Virar and Vashi areas of Navi Mumbai and Thane in the MMR, Mumbai Mirror reported.

As per state energy department officials, these uninterrupted power supply to these areas will be restored once the 400 kV Kalwa-Talegaon circuit line is repaired.

“The conductor fitted along the Kalwa-Talegaon line snapped and fell. Our team led by Chief Engineer (Pune) Nasir Qadri is working without a break to repair the line,” Dinesh Waghmare, Managing Director of the Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company (MSETCL) said as per the report.

He however added that the process would take at least two days to complete and “satellite towns around Mumbai” could thus experience load shedding.

Meanwhile, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal has directed all hospitals to ensure at least 12 hours of backup (diesel generators) in case of a relapse.

State Energy secretary Aseem Kumar Gupta insisted the city would not experience further power interruptions adding that Tata Power has been instructed to increase thermal power generation “with immediate effect”, the report added.

“Mumbai has internal generation of 1800 MW and the demand is 2800 MW. Other resources (of power generation) failed on Monday (October 12) but Mumbai will not have another outage,” Gupta said.

The city-wide power outage on October 12 was caused by an unprecedented tripping of the 400 kV Kalwa-Padgha circuit, which further tripped the Kalwa-Kharghar line due to overload. A government inquiry into the incident has been initiated on Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s direction.

Further due to the power incident on October 12, citizens will get water supply with decreased pressure on October 13, Additional Municipal Commissioner P Velarasu said.