Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Despite paying bills on time, residents are enduring frequent, unpredictable power outages this scorching summer. Citizens are asking why smart meters are being installed when power supply itself remains unreliable. The city's consumer base has grown from 3,30,000 to 3,62,000 in five years, yet only one new substation has been added, bringing the total to 28. Peak demand of 350 MW is claimed to be met but residents tell a different story.
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32 minutes on hold just to register a complaint
MSEDCL employees don't answer calls after outages. One consumer spent 32 minutes navigating automated instructions just to lodge a complaint.
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Areas most affected
Shrikrishnanagar, Tilaknagar, Trimurti Chowk, Chikalthana, and Deolai-Satara regularly face blown fuses, voltage fluctuations, and prolonged outages.
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Power system at a glance
Consumers: 3,30,000 (5 yrs ago) → 3,62,000 (now)
Substations: 27 → 28 | Capacity: 436 → 483 MVA
Monthly billing: ₹180 crore
Still needed: 8 more 33 KV 1 more 132 KV substation
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"Court should take Suo Motu cognisance"
Officers in failure-prone areas must be held accountable. - Vilaschandra Kabra, President, Urja Sahayog
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Unannounced load shedding
This is being used to push people toward privatisation. Monthly protests are held outside MSEDCL's office. - Adv Abhay Taksale, CPI District Secretary
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Power supply restored promptly
Extreme heat is causing localised outages. Supply is restored promptly. - Manish Thakare, Superintendent Engineer, MSEDCL