Patiala- The recent floods in Punjab have dealt a major blow to the state’s power infrastructure. The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited has put the damage at around Rs 102.58 crore after a preliminary assessment. Officials said that the Upper Beas Diversion Channel (UBDC) hydel power project in Pathankot has been the worst affected, suffering a loss of Rs 62.5 crore.
According to the preliminary assessment report of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), 2,322 distribution transformers were damaged, while 7,114 electricity poles were swept away or destroyed.
The report said that around 864 km of conductors and supply lines also fell, adding to the total loss of Rs 4.32 crore. PSPCL’s own infrastructure, including office buildings, control rooms and equipment, suffered a loss of Rs 2.61 crore.
According to the report, critical components like vacuum circuit breakers, panels, batteries and relays suffered serious damage worth Rs 46 lakh. While grid substations suffered a loss of around Rs 2.55 crore.
A senior PSPCL official said, “Transformers, poles and lines were either submerged or washed away due to the floods, causing major damage.
Our repair teams were working round the clock to restore power to critical substations and affected villages.” On the damage, the official said, “This is just an initial estimate. Once the flood water recedes and we are able to do a fresh assessment at the ground level, the actual damage is likely to increase.”