Surat: A power outage hit South Gujarat this afternoon due to the tripping of seven 400 kV transmission lines and severe voltage fluctuations. The outage affected districts like Surat, Bharuch, Navsari, Vapi, and Valsad, among others. Power supply was disrupted in areas served by both the private power company and DGVCL. However, as of 6:30 pm, power has been restored in 90% of the affected areas.

As per an official statement from GUVNL, “A sudden load drop of approximately 4000 MW occurred in South Gujarat today at around 14:50 hrs due to a system disturbance in Maharashtra and/or South Gujarat. This led to a significant voltage dip, causing multiple load throw-offs from the system. The disturbance resulted in the tripping of seven 400 kV transmission lines and severe voltage fluctuations, leading to the shutdown of Ukai, Kakrapar, and SLPP power stations in the region.”

“Recognizing the critical importance of power restoration, immediate action was taken on a priority basis. As of now, 90% of the power supply has been successfully restored, and further restoration efforts are underway with due care and precaution. The system is expected to be fully stabilized by 19:00 hrs. today. Moreover, Tarapur Atomic Plant and SLPP Units have been restored, and Ukai Thermal Units will be restored shortly,” the statement added.

Regarding this, DGVCL MD Yogesh Chaudhary said that the 400 kV high-voltage source line had tripped. Efforts were made to restore it at the State Load Dispatch Center (Jambua). This issue affected most areas of South Gujarat, especially Tapi, Bharuch, Rajpipla, Surat, and Navsari, which were largely in a down phase. When the power outage occurred at 3:00 pm, the supply dropped to 700 MW against a demand of 5,200 MW.

He further stated that as of 6:15 pm, the supply had increased to 2,500 MW, and within about half an hour, the situation would normalize. The immediate priority was meeting the demand of urban areas, after which power would be restored to industrial areas. Currently, 70% of the urban area has power, and full restoration is expected within half an hour.

The sudden outage disrupted daily life, causing discomfort in homes and offices due to the heat. Regarding power supply restoration, Surat Torrent Power’s AGM (Assistant General Manager) U.S. Kanani stated that the entire Torrent Power grid in Surat had shut down. However, restoration has begun in phases, prioritizing essential services first. DeshGujarat