Power supply faces challenges in the winter setup of Kashmir due to the damage to distribution transformers. Every winter these critical components of the supply face a fierce battle against treacherous atmospheric and hostile human threats. The result is that it has disrupted the weak system of power supply, causing problems for everyone in the region.
Transformers, which show the damage making their important parts melted or destroyed, are definitely burnt out during the winter months.
Due to overloads and short circuits and also the inability of old equipment to cater to the spiky requirement during the cold months as repairs to these transformers cannot happen easily, these transformers suffer severe damage.
Heat loss marks this process, but the more this happens in places where the mercury dips-down at or below minus 10 degree, it may result in serious implications.
In fact, many other families have unsafe alternative sources of heating. Essential service provision, such as hospital functions and schools, becomes increasingly challenging due to unpredictable electricity supplies.
The casualty of DTs is not just a winter phenomenon, but is symptomatic of a deeper malaise-the inadequacy of electricity grid infrastructure in the northern region ropes Jammu and Kashmir into an ancient grid system on which the equipment mostly runs decades old and unfit to cater to the increasing loads of the population. The sector, however, is not well invested in modernizing and timely maintenance and upgrades, thus making the region so very vulnerable.
Jammu and Kashmir is still using such a grid system that is outdated now. The machinery already installed there was put decades back and could not cope with the rapidly increasing population’s demands.
The problem of adequate damage to DT is complex, but it must be tackled at different levels: one is electrical grid reinforcement, especially with transformers. Old transformers have to be replaced with more weather-resistant and stronger models.
Most importantly, however, community involvement is to be pushed. Public awareness campaigns can inform citizens how they can contribute to the protection of the power infrastructure.
