MGVCL starts audit of electrical equipment used by consumers

Attempts to make distribution infrastructure in line with rise in electricity consumption

In a bid to cope up with repeated power tripping and failure incidences, power distributor Madhya Gujarat Vij Company Ltd (MGVCL) has started audit of electrical goods used by the consumers by inviting disclosures from them.

However, the disclosures being voluntary in nature, the discom may find it difficult to get its motive served.

"We have made an appeal to the public that they should disclose details of their electrical equipment so that we can create infrastructure accordingly. Currently, we witness repeated instances of power tripping, transformer failure, fuse blow up etc. This can be cured with such details," S B Khyalia, managing director, MGVCL.

Khyalia further maintained that there was no demand-supply mismatch. "We have sufficient power to meet the demand but there is a technical limitation to distribution. We have seen in several areas where actual power demand load was three times higher than the capacity of the infrastructure," he said.

According to him, several consumers, who had single phase meter (with capacity upto 6 kilovolt) were found using multiple ACs and other electrical items.

"This is not the first time any discom is doing. Others have been doing it as and when required. If a consumer approaches us with his power consumption details, we can work out with him the right infrastructure necessary for him," he said.

An MGVCL official maintained that during summer time, there was a sharp increase in the number of complaints about blowing of transformer circuit fuse that trips local electricity supplies.

According to MGVCL officials, power consumption has increased with increase in incomes of the people. Households and commercial segments have witnessed sharp increase in the usage of appliances such as ACs, refrigerator, heaters, toasters, microwave, ovens, vacuum cleaners, LCD TVs among others.

The power distribution infrastructure is not equally equipped to handle the increase in power load. This has led to excessive burden on the distribution infrastructure, thereby causing power failure.

The discom has invited voluntary disclosures from its 2.6 million consumers, out of which 80 per cent is households and remaining is industry, commercial and agricultural in central Gujarat region.