No power supply in nine north Bihar districts

Patna/Bagaha/Khagaria: Electricity supply remained disrupted in nine north Bihar districts on Friday as floodwaters entered several grid substations and damaged the transmission lines attached.

East Champaran, West Champaran, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Gopalganj, Siwan and Saran districts suffered from power outage as floodwaters entered the 400/132 kV grid substation at Motihari, 400/220 kV grid substation at Darbhanga and 220/132/33 kV grid substation at Amnour in Saran district.

However, Bihar State Power Transmission Company Limited (BSPTCL) chief engineer (operations and maintenance) Satyanarayan Kumar told TOI that the Motihari grid substation is likely to resume functioning from Saturday.

The BSPTCL officials also assured some respite from power outage from Saturday with completion of restoration works on Motihari grid substation.

“With completion of restoration works on Motihari grid substation and the transmission lines attached to it, there would be major improvement in power supply in all the affected districts, except Saran. The water level at Amnour grid substation is still quite high, which is leading to obstruction in carrying out restoration works. The restoration works on Darbhanga grid substation is likely to be completed in two to three days,” Satyanarayan said.

Meanwhile, locals claimed that power supply under Thakaraha, Bhitaha, Madhubani and Piparasi blocks of the flood-affected Bagaha subdivision in West Champaran had been disrupted for the last 20 days.

Hundreds of consumers of Bhitaha block had staged demonstration before power substation at Gulariha earlier this week.

Krishnandan Singh, junior engineer of North Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited (NBPDCL), said the Gopalganj substation was not supplying power as per the demand.

“Floodwaters affected the substation and now power is being supplied to attached lines on rotation basis,” the JE said. Power supply has also been snapped in riverine villages of Khagaria district owing to the floods.

According to executive engineer (EE), electric supply division (Khagaria rural), Ajit Kumar, electricity supply to Beldari, Pathak, Mushari, Kothiyar, Pipra Tola, Bisaria Dih, Fultora Chikni, Oradih, Piparpanti, Makhnahi, Larhi, Moharaghat, Dahma, Khairi Khutha and Mohanpur under Alouli block had been stopped. Madhura, Uttar Marar, Amniand Hiyatpur under Khagaria block and Tegachhi Sahorba, Sonebersa, Rohiya, Madhya Borne, Thutthi Mohanpur and Rohiyar villages under Chautham block were also facing power outages.