No solution yet to power cuts in Dimapur

Imkong Walling 
Dimapur | August 11

Four days after the department of Power informed consumers of its plan making arrangement to transport unused transformers from Mokokchung and Kiphire, the machines are yet to reach Dimapur. An old 10 MVA transformer lying in disuse in Mokokchung was supposed to have reached Dimapur by Saturday evening. But owing to a technical snag, it got delayed. 

Additional Chief Engineer & HOD, K. Miachio told The Morung Express that the dismantling of the machine is already complete and awaiting transport. However, one of the wheels of the transport trailer on which the machine will be mounted encountered a problem. It was a wheel bolt and it was brought down to Dimapur for repair, Miachio said. Hopefully, the bolt will be fixed by Sunday and send back to Mokokchung. It will be another day before the transformer reaches Dimapur, if all goes well. 

The other three 6.5 MVA transformers lying in Kiphire can only reach Dimapur after the one in Mokokchung is safely transported. Reason – there is only one such trailer with the department capable of carrying heavy load. The transportation from Kiphire will take not less than two days as the trailer is incapable of carrying the total weight of the three smaller machines put together, in one go. The 10 MVA transformer in Mokokchung is said to weigh around 25 metric tonnes and cannot be transported by ordinary goods vehicles. The smaller ones weigh between 15-20 tonnes each. Further, after all the machines reach Dimapur, the installation segment will consume a few more days.  

That aside, the damaged transformers in Dimapur, the 20 MVA and 10 MVA machines, which were damaged on July 24 and July 30, respectively, are still waiting to be shipped to Kolkata for repairs. Repairing of the machines will take atleast three months; definitely not good news in the heat of Dimapur. 

Further bad news – the eagerly awaited heavy duty 100 MVA transformer ordered for shipment by the department last year will not reach anytime soon. The machine is said to weigh between 30-40 tonnes and its monetary cost just as heavy. According to Additional Chief Engineer Miachio, it will cost between 15-17 crores. And the problem is that the department is yet to receive the monetary sanction. 

The cost of the machine is reported to be funded by the DoNER Ministry, which is yet to give the go ahead for the sanctioning of the amount. The DPR for the upgradation of the SLDC in Nagarjan, Dimapur was submitted to the DoNER as early as 2007. After a long wait, a second or a revised DPR was submitted in the beginning of the year. An official in the rank of a deputy secretary in the DoNER ministry had visited Dimapur this year and the revised DPR is “under active consideration,” added Miachio.

If the application goes through successfully, the new transformer is likely to reach by mid-October. The time for transportation is estimated at one week and the fitting and commissioning – not less than one month. 

On a positive note, it will be a problem of plenty for the department this winter. That is, on the assumption that the new 100 MVA transformer would arrive, and the damaged 20 MVA and 10 MVA machines will have reached home by then, after the repairs.