Part of Duncan Basti blacked out

Morung Express News Dimapur | July 22   A portion of Duncan Basti remained without power supply since the evening of July 21. The blackout was the result of a 250 Kva distribution transformer conking out at around 5:00 pm on July 21. The reportedly ageing transformer, located near Carewell School, caters to about a quarter of Duncan Basti.   According to a Power department official, the transformer got damaged necessitating a replacement with another. A stand in transformer however was not immediately available. While it could not be ascertained whether it was the result of over-loading or technical snag, the official said that a serviceable replacement was found the next day at the department’s Central Store in Dimapur. Department workers will begin installing the transformer by the morning of July 23, the official said.

  The Association of Power Engineers Nagaland (APEN) has time and again been reminding the Nagaland state government of the deteriorating power situation in the state. As per the APEN, the Power department’s distribution assets are ageing and on the brink of breakdown, which calls for a phase-wise, if not total, overhaul of the distribution network across the state. The frequent and unforeseen trend of distribution transformers breaking down, particularly during the summer months would explain the frail condition of the state’s power network. Engineers of the department predict that the frequency of transformers breaking down, particularly in Dimapur, will continue to increase with each passing year if the existing distribution set up is not revamped or upgraded with priority.