KOCHI: Nearly half of Kochi city plunged into darkness as Kerala State Electricity Board’s (KSEB) 110KV substation at Kaloor was shut down following heavy rain and flooding on Monday morning. The board is expected to restore the operations of the substation, which supplies electricity to Kaloor, Palarivattom and Kathrikadavu and Ernakulam North areas, by Tuesday evening if the heavy rain stays away.
Around 10 acres of KSEB substation located in front of Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kaloor were completely flooded since Monday morning. The water level inside the substation’s control room was at knee level forcing KSEB to shut down the plant. The water inside the KSEB station was pumped out with the help of the Fire and Rescue Services Department.
“If the water recedes further, we will test the electricity line and equipment in the control room. However, considering the water level inside the control room, we expect the operations of the substation to be fully restored by Tuesday evening. Fire and Rescue Services officials are pumping out water with the help of 10 pump sets,” said a KSEB deputy chief engineer.
District Collector S Suhas reviewed the situation and promised to provide all facilities to restore the power supply. “A heavy-duty pump of KMRL and 10 other smaller pump sets are being used to drain the water. Two squads of fire force and police have been deployed. The decision to restart the operations will be taken after talking to the experts,” he said.
KSEB blames Metro
A KSEB official laid the blame on Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) and Kochi corporation authorities for flooding the substation premises. According to them, as part of the construction of the Metro rail and station at Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, the main drain got filled.
Corporation explains
P M Harris, Works Standing Committee chairperson of Kochi corporation said the matter was raised before Kochi Metro. “A pipe culvert had existed near the KSEB compound to handle the water flow of the area for a long time. It ensured that the water flowed into either the Edappally canal or Perandoor canal. As it was filled abruptly, the absence of a channel for water to flow resulted in flooding inside the KSEB compound,” said Harris.He also pointed out that the culvert was connected with George Eden Road and residential areas nearby were affected.
Draining water from KSEB substation leads to traffic block
Kochi: The attempts to pump out water from KSEB substation in Kaloor led to major traffic block on Banerjee Road from Palarivattom to Kaloor stretch on Monday. As part of draining the water, the Fire and Rescue Services Department laid pumps cutting cross the road. “Around 10 pumps were laid across the road to pump out the water from KSEB compound to the canal located on its opposite side. As a safety precaution, the traffic movement was regulated. This led to the block. More police officials were deployed to control the traffic ” an officer said.