Despite huge transformer failure rate, PDD lacks facility for preventive maintenance

Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 12: Notwithstanding the fact that transformers failure rate continues to remain high in Jammu and Kashmir during summer as well as winter, the Power Development Department doesn’t have any facility to carry out regular preventive maintenance of the power transformers and current transformers. Moreover, the department has not paid any serious attention towards setting up of Disaster Management Cell despite the fact that the same is imperative for mitigating the impact of a major break down on the system and restoring it in the shortest possible time.
According to the official sources, the power and current transformers are most important and cost-intensive components of the transmission network and these transformers go through natural ageing under operational stress conditions as well as accelerated ageing due to contamination and abnormal service conditions.
Being a critical link in power systems, it is necessary to continuously monitor and assess the condition of power transformers to prolong their life duration, avoid unscheduled outages and reduce their maintenance expenditure.
In order to gather detailed information about the operation conditions of Current Transformers and Power Transformers, various kinds of oil analysis like the standard oil Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA), Tan Delta Tests are generally conducted as the failures inside the transformers lead to a degradation of the liquid insulation in such a way that the compound of the gases enables an identification of cause of the failure.
“However, majority of the equipments for carrying out diagnostic tests and preventive maintenance necessary for evaluating residual life of power transformers as well as detecting critical defects in the installed yard equipment at Sub-Stations are not available with the department”, sources said, adding “in the absence of these vital equipment the regular preventive maintenance of the transformers is not being carried out as a result of which the transformers failure rate continues to be high during winter as well as summer months”.
The recommendations from various quarters about setting up of full-fledged testing lab were made to the highest authorities in the department a number of times but ironically this factor has not received the desired attention till date, sources regretted.
They disclosed, “for even minor tests the Power Development Department is approaching the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and making hefty payments to these organizations”, adding “though a scheme was formulated to have full-fledged facility for preventive maintenance both in Jammu and Srinagar yet the same could not see light of the day because of paucity of funds”.
“If a full-fledged testing lab is established, not only the transformer failure rate will reduce due to proper periodical maintenance even huge amount presently being paid to PGCIL and BHEL would get saved”, sources stressed.
According to the sources, even Disaster Management system has not received the due attention of the Power Development Department till date despite the fact that the same is imperative for mitigating the impact of a major break down on the system and restoring it in the shortest possible time. Even a committee for updating the best practices in transmission system had recommended that Disaster Management system should be set up by all power utilities for immediate restoration of transmission system in the event of major failures.
“Disaster Management is carried out by deploying Emergency Restoration System (ERS), Diesel Generating sets, skilled and specialized manpower. However, no Disaster Management setup exists in J&K”, sources informed.
“This is notwithstanding the fact that in a hilly and tough terrain State of Jammu and Kashmir the ERS is imperative in order to ensure prompt restoration of electricity”, they said while disclosing that ERS is mainly helpful in the event of damage to any transmission tower. Under this system, the transformer can be temporarily installed within a period of 12 hours as against time-frame of two-three months which is taken in case of installing conventional tower.

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