Substation fire hits power in Kolkata
Thousands of households in Kolkata were plunged into darkness on Friday after a high-voltage flash and fire at a Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation substation.
Image for illustration purposes
India, Kolkata: Several thousand households in south Kolkata were plunged into darkness on 27 March following a high-voltage flash and fire at a Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation substation.
The Patuli substation of a private utility, shut down around 6 p.m. with an arc flash and a loud bang. Thick black smoke prompted residents to alert the fire brigade. Seven fire tenders rushed to the spot and the fire was doused by 7:10 p.m.
With parts of the 11 kV distribution substation inundated in water used to control the blaze, restoration was carried out from other feeders. A CESC official said power to the entire affected zone would be restored before midnight.
“A fault had occurred in the substation switch, leading to a high-voltage flash that lead to the supply breakdown. In some areas, the supply was switched off as a safety measure. They are being restored from other points. Since the equipment here is completely wet, it needs to dry up before we can investigate the cause and rectify it,” the official said.
This is the first major emergency in Kolkata after the lockdown was imposed on 23 March. CESC, which supplies power to Kolkata, and WBSEDCL, that caters to Salt Lake and the rest of the state, have quick response teams on standby. The private power utility has 250 teams, comprising around 2,000 people working in shifts around the clock.
Source: Times of India