Vital tower in bad condition
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 22: A grave threat is looming large over Baglihar-Kishenpur transmission line as one of its vital towers has turned frail and may not withstand heavy snowfall or strong winds in future. The bad condition of the tower came to fore when a team of the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) visited the area near Peerah in Ramban district on the request of Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) for rectification of some faults, which got developed during heavy snowfall early this year.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that during heavy snowfall early this year, a snag got developed on 400 KV Baglihar-Kishenpur transmission line near Peerah in Ramban district and in order to ensure interrupted flow of electricity from Baglihar Hydroelectric Project to Kishenpur grid, the Power Development Corporation got fault rectified temporarily.
Thereafter the matter was taken up with Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, which has expertise in handling transmission lines, for permanent restoration of the fault as despite temporary restoration of snag, the machines of Baglihar Hydroelectric Project were getting tripped on blowing of strong winds and causing economic loss to JKSPDC, sources said.
“Ever since the temporary restoration of the stag, the machines of Baglihar project have tripped about four times and on each tripping the Corporation has suffered generation loss of 4.50 lakh units”, they informed.
After getting green signal from the PGCIL some days back for further improvement in the transmission line at Peerah in order to get rid of tripping, the JKSPDC availed shut-down of the line for June 21 and June 22. But prior to the enforcement of the shut-down, the PGCIL conveyed to JKSPDC that rectification of snag has been postponed because of safety reasons, sources said.
“The repair has been postponed as team of PGCIL Engineers during the course of mobilization of equipment found the tower at Peerah in very bad condition”, sources said, adding “it is not advisable to repair the transmission line. To rectify the stag the engineers have to make 1250 meter span of the transmission line loose and there is every possibility of frail tower crashing down in such situation”.
To a question, they said, “postponement of the fault rectification assignment was also imperative as 1250 meter span of the transmission line crosses the National Highway as well as 220 KV, 132 KV, 33 KV and 11 KV lines and in case of any untoward incident there would have been massive destruction”.
Apprehending that tower may not withstand heavy snowfall in future and wind storm, they said, “the tower is required to be strengthened by using specialized cross-arms before thinking of going ahead with the fault rectification”.
When contacted, Chief Engineer, Baglihar, A K Koul confirmed that tower was required to be strengthened, adding “we will shortly request the PGCIL to suggest us the measures required to be taken so that not only tower is strengthened but also the fault on the line is rectified in order to avoid tripping of machines”.
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