Heavy rains lashed Pune over the weekend, which also resulted in power outages, leaving some areas in the dark for over 20 hours. Areas such as Shivajinagar, Vishrantwadi, Yerawada, Dhanori, Baner Road, Parvati Gaon, and Shukrawar Peth were some of the most affected areas.
Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) officials said the road digging work caused exposed cables to come into contact with water, catching moisture and leading to power outages. Besides, several transformers also developed problems due to tree fall incidents.
In response to the numerous complaints about sudden power failures, Shivajinagar MLA Siddharth Shirole met with MSEDCL Executive Engineer Sanjiv Rathod to identify the cause of these outages.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader also urged the power distribution company to improve communication and regularly inform citizens via SMS or social media about scheduled power cuts, so that residents are better prepared for such disruptions and not inconvenienced.
MSEDCL to first install smart meters at its offices, staff quarters
After the Maharashtra Electricity Consumers’ Association objected to the installation of smart prepaid meters, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) decided to first install these meters in its offices and staff quarters before replicating the process elsewhere. The installation will begin soon. In the Pune Circle, there are a total of 320 staff quarters and 250 offices of the MSEDCL.
After installing smart meters at its offices and staff quarters, the MSEDCL will begin installing them for consumers. At present, the MSEDCL has kept both prepaid and postpaid options. Later, MSEDCL may decide to keep only the prepaid option. These smart meters ensure accurate electricity usage records unlike the conventional meters, which can give incorrect readings. Consumers can track their usage on their mobile phones.
