A powerful pre-monsoon rainstorm that swept through parts of Nashik rural last week caused extensive damage to the power infrastructure, leaving more than 4,000 consumers without electricity on June 3, 5, and 6.
Storm Impact on Infrastructure
The combination of heavy rainfall and strong winds severely damaged electrical networks across the Igatpuri, Dindori, Ozar, Sinnar, and Peth subdivisions. Hundreds of electricity poles collapsed, and several kilometers of overhead lines snapped, resulting in power outages lasting between four and 14 hours, according to Anil Zatkare, executive engineer of the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) for Nashik rural.
Officials reported that high-velocity winds uprooted 154 high-tension poles and 320 low-tension poles. The storm also snapped 24 kilometers of high-tension lines and 55.5 kilometers of low-tension lines. Additionally, nine distribution transformer centers collapsed, and equipment at three substations was damaged, significantly disrupting the region's power network.
Subdivision-Wise Damage
Damage varied across subdivisions. Peth experienced the highest loss of transmission infrastructure, with 46 high-tension poles collapsing. Dindori recorded the most severe impact on domestic distribution, with 93 low-tension poles downed and 12 kilometers of lines damaged.
“Sinnar was the worst affected, with over 3,000 consumers facing power outages for more than 14 hours on two separate days,” Zatkare said. He added that ground teams have been deployed in full strength, and restoration work in severely affected areas like Sinnar and Dindori is being carried out on a war footing, expected to be completed within a day or two.
Restoration Challenges
Restoration efforts in Peth are taking longer due to the widely scattered damage. “Repair operations in Peth are facing logistical challenges as many affected installations are located in remote and hilly areas, increasing both travel time and restoration complexity,” Zatkare explained.
Providing relief to residents, the official confirmed that electricity supply has been restored to all villages. “While domestic and residential connections have been fully restored across all affected talukas, the remaining outages are limited to agricultural consumers, which we are addressing in a phased manner,” Zatkare added.
