PATNA: Finally there is some good news for power consumers. They will no longer have to go without power for long hours due to burnt power transformers. The Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB) has geared up to replace those within 24 hours.
“Power consumers will no longer have to wait for hours to get a burnt transformer replaced. Any power transformer which needs to be replaced will be changed immediately and there will be no hassle even in its transportation,” said new BSEB chief P K Rai.
“Enough fund has been allocated for transportation of faulty transformers to repair workshop and ferrying another transformer to the location where it has to be installed. Strict action will be initiated against powermen who harass consumers for bribe. Not only this, even the capacity of six transformer repairing workshops has been increased from 400 to 700,” added Rai. “In fact, my emphasis will be on optimum utilization of existing resources,” said the official.
The BSEB is also initiating short-term measures to purchase power from the private sector soon. “We have already received tenders for the purpose and at the next board meeting, we will discuss the purchase price etc to implement the same,” said the BSEB chief.
In a long-term planning, an agreement has been signed with a private firm — SL Ltd — to purchase 450 MW of power from the year 2013-14, said Rai.
Not only this. To overcome the problems besetting the BSEB and bridge the communication gap between the field officers and headquarters, the BSEB mandarins have decided to get in touch with every officer stationed in far-flung areas. The chairman and senior members of the board will interact with the field engineers, comprising general manager-cum-chief engineers of seven areas, superintending engineers in charge of distribution and transmission, apart from others.
There is a ray of hope for residents of west Patna also, as the Digha Power Grid, in all probability, will become functional by May 2011.
The board is all set to introduce financial discipline which includes cost cut, and the money saved will be used for computerization of the offices falling under BSEB. “Computers will be allotted to all officials in the rank of superintending engineer and above. After that it will be the turn of executive engineers. We soon hope to computerize the entire system,” said Rai.