Dimapur reels under relentless heat and frequent power cuts

Paudi Renta and Henlly Phom Odyuo

DIMAPUR — Erratic power supply in Nagaland, particularly in the commercial hub Dimapur, is once again attracting intense scrutiny and criticism from people across various sectors.

The intermittent power cuts for over several hours on daily basis continue to inflict heavy toll on the business community as well as the common people.

The numerous periodical activities undertaken by the department in the form of vegetation clearance and maintenance work before the monsoon season with assurance to provide uninterrupted power supply have not met the public’s expectations. Similarly, the common excuse for power shortages during winter has been attributed to a lack of water at the power generation source.

The sweltering heat, combined with frequent power cuts, has not only made life miserable but also led to damage to electronic gadgets. Residents across various localities in the city are grappling with frequent and prolonged power outage as consumers are facing power cuts ranging from 2 to 8 hours.

Also read: Six-hour power shut down in Kohima, Tseminyu, Wokha, and Pughoboto areas on June 18

Those affected the most are schoolchildren. While schools with power generators may have a different story, students at government-run schools suffer the most during power outages.

Imo Aier, a teacher at the Government Primary School in Lungwiram, said that the teaching and learning process becomes challenging in the absence of electricity during these sweltering days. He explained that both teachers and students find it difficult to concentrate.

Aier attributed the extreme weather conditions to global warming and expressed scepticism about resolving the issue of load shedding in Dimapur.

Munna, who runs an electronic shop in Dimapur, shared that his business is struggling due to frequent power outages. He questioned how long an inverter could continuously support power needs.

According to him, consistent power supply is essential for businesses to thrive in any community. He added that every business owner desires to welcome customers in a pleasant environment.

Air conditioning technicians are on demand, more so for repairing the ACs in houses with many households reporting damages because of the fluctuations in power supply.

Department explains reason for outages 

Some of the common reasons, as shared by a source from the Department of Power, were planned maintenance; equipment or technical failure; grid overload/high energy demand; weather and weather-related disasters; and trees falling on overhead electricity lines or poles.

However, the source, speaking on condition of anonymity, pointed out that the main reason for the erratic supply was because the available capacity is not able to meet the high demand, particularly in Dimapur. Power theft is one of the major reasons for the high demand, the source asserted. 

The power availability and demand scenario in the state for 2024-25 indicates that demand significantly exceeded availability. The total installed capacity stood at 228 MW—202 MW from central sources and 26 MW from state sources. However, the actual average availability was much lower: 138 MW during the monsoon season (132 MW from the centre and 6 MW from the state) and 110 MW during the lean season (98 MW from the centre and 12 MW from the state).

Authorities clarified that the installed capacity of 228 MW does not equate to actual availability, which varies due to multiple operational factors.

During peak season, Nagaland's power demand rises to 193 MW, while off-peak demand stands at 130 MW. The state depends heavily on central sources, procuring 90% of its electricity from the Centre, while generating only 10% locally. Despite spending around INR 600 crore annually to procure power, the state earns only about INR 300 crore through electricity billing.

“When transformer cannot carry the load of the demand, it affects the supply. The Low Tension (LT) line also snaps when it is overloaded and this usually happens during the summer season because of the high demand”, the source said.

Nagaland also records the highest Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses in the country at 51%, primarily due to power theft and under-billing. The Centre has urged the state’s Power Department to reduce these losses, warning that future resource allocation will depend on corrective action, the source informed.

With power demand projected to rise steadily, Nagaland’s requirement is expected to reach 360 MW by 2030. “Dimapur is facing electricity shortages as summer temperatures have pushed demand to record levels, and it’s only June,” the source remarked.

Steps towards a solution

To address these challenges, the department has outlined two key solutions: implementation of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) and expansion of rooftop solar systems. Noting that neighbouring Manipur has successfully reduced AT&C losses to just 15%, the source asserted that the RDSS is not just for departmental benefit, but is aimed at improving the overall power scenario in the state.

Under the RDSS, the first phase will see the installation of 224 transformers of 100 kV capacity across the state, contingent upon consumer cooperation. The second phase will involve the upgrade and installation of new LT line wiring.

While acknowledged that Dimapur, in particular, faces severe supply issues due to extreme weather conditions and rampant power theft, the source, however, expressed confidence that the implementation of the RDSS will reduce system lapses and improve overall power supply.