Ukhrul, 16 July| EKHON: As climate variability, including the effects of El Niño, continues to intensify extreme weather and unpredictable monsoon conditions, Ukhrul Town is once again facing prolonged power outages. Every spell of rain exposes the fragility of the district’s ageing power infrastructure, disrupting hospitals, schools, businesses, government offices, and daily life.
For many residents, the monsoon has become synonymous with darkness, raising a pressing question: Why does Ukhrul continue to suffer the same electricity crisis year after year while lasting solutions remain elusive?
According to officials familiar with the electricity network, the problem lies not only in the challenging terrain but also in an ageing transmission system, inadequate infrastructure, and a severe shortage of technical manpower.
Ukhrul Town depends on a 33 kV transmission line running from Hungpung (Hundung) to the Ukhrul Khunjao 33/11 kV Substation and onward to the Tolloi, Namrei, and Jessami Substations. The line stretches for more than 100 kilometres through difficult terrain.
This means that a fault occurring anywhere along the line can interrupt the electricity supply to Ukhrul Town and the entire district.
Officials say that upgrading the relay protection systems at the Tolloi and Namrei Substations could significantly reduce unnecessary outages by isolating faults more effectively. Despite being described as a technically feasible measure, the upgrade has yet to be implemented.
Another major concern is the absence of an operational MSPCL office in either Ukhrul or Kamjong.
Whenever major faults occur, technical teams must travel from Imphal before repairs can begin. During the monsoon, landslides, blocked roads, and adverse weather often delay their arrival, extending outages far beyond the expectation of the consumers.
Residents say the result is a pattern of repeated interruptions with restoration taking much longer than expected.
The manpower situation within MSPDCL’s Ukhrul Division highlights another challenge. Departmental figures indicate that:
– 102 Assistant Linesman posts are sanctioned, but only 2 personnel are available.
– All 34 sanctioned Linesman posts are reportedly vacant.
– Routine maintenance and emergency work are largely carried out by a small team of daily wage workers.
These personnel are responsible for maintaining an extensive network stretching roughly 50 kilometres west of Ukhrul Headquarters and about 130 kilometres to the north.
Power experts note that such staffing levels make preventive maintenance and rapid restoration difficult, particularly during the monsoon when faults become more frequent. Officials have proposed several measures that they believe would substantially improve the reliability of electricity supply.
These include:
– Upgrading the existing 3.15 MVA transformer at the Hundung 33/11 kV Substation to 2 × 10 MVA with associated equipment.
– Transferring the 11 kV Phalang Feeder from Hungpung (Hundung) to the Phungyar 33/11 kV Substation so that Hundung can primarily serve Ukhrul Town.
– Recruiting at least 50 Junior Technician Assistants on a daily wage basis to strengthen maintenance and emergency response. It may be noted that in a division, Imphal has 24/7 service with over 80 daily wage staff catering to an area of less than 10 square kilometers
A longer-term proposal is the establishment of a dedicated 33/11 kV Substation at Kaziphung, Hungpung for Ukhrul Town. According to officials, the local authority is willing to provide land for the project.
Residents say the repeated outages are affecting every aspect of daily life. Educational institutions struggle during examination periods, health care facilities and hospitality industry rely heavily on backup power, businesses face financial losses, and government offices experience interruptions in public services. Many residents argue that reliable electricity is not a luxury but a basic public service that is essential for development.
The annual recurrence of power disruptions has led to renewed calls for decisive action from the State Government, MSPCL, and MSPDCL. Stakeholders are urging authorities to strengthen transmission infrastructure, improve protection systems, fill critical vacancies, and accelerate long-pending upgrades.
Residents are frustrated by repeated apologies and explanations for power outages, citing a shortage of local technical staff. Skilled personnel often travel from Imphal, leaving locals feeling stuck in a cycle of blackouts and unmet expectations, despite frontline staff efforts.
With the monsoon far from over, residents fear that recurring blackouts will continue unless urgent action is taken. The solutions are neither new nor impractical, they have been identified for years. What remains uncertain is whether the authorities will finally act to strengthen Ukhrul’s power infrastructure and deliver the reliable electricity supply the district deserves.
For the people of Ukhrul, the expectation is straightforward: a power system that is resilient enough to withstand the monsoon and dependable enough to support the district’s daily life and future development.
