Man-made fires cause repeated power outages in Pune

Pune has faced numerous power outages in the last two months due to fires, most of which were man-made. These incidents affected the operations of major power transmission companies in the area, including the Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company and Power Grid Corporation of India. Power disruptions occurred in key areas such as Chakan and Hinjewadi, which are important for the automobile and IT industries. Fires caused by burning stubble and grass were primarily responsible for these outages. One incident in Navale involved burning garbage, which also affected a substation. One fire, caused by natural factors in Ambegaon, led to a power cutoff in Hinjewadi for nearly an hour on March 22, disrupting services for over 90,000 consumers. Many residents, like Tushar Dukare, expressed frustration as they relied on inverters to continue working from home. Another fire on March 15 impacted a major transmission line, leading to a 350 MW electricity deficit. This forced MSEDCL to limit power supply to 80 lines, affecting around 250,000 consumers in various areas. Earlier, on February 23, burning sugarcane stubble near Alandi caused another one-hour outage. Daily power cuts of one to two hours have been common in industrial areas, putting pressure on small businesses. Local leaders have complained about the lack of effective solutions from power utilities. With summer just beginning, temperatures in Pune are approaching 40 degrees Celsius. This heat worsens the power situation, as expanding lines and melting components can further limit electricity supply.