Pathanamthitta (Keralam), Nov 5 The KSEB has completed preparations to ensure uninterrupted power supply at Sabarimala and its base camps ahead of the annual Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season beginning November 17, officials said on Thursday.
In a statement, Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) said that it has replaced non-functional floodlights and LED lights at the Sannidhanam and Nilakkal base camp.
Besides 3,450 permanent lights, the board has installed and maintains 1,600 temporary lights for the pilgrimage season, it said.
Work to lay power lines and install streetlights at a new parking ground, as requested by the police and the Travancore Devaswom Board, is also nearing completion.
Maintenance of transformers at Pamba and Sannidhanam, cable testing and replacement of damaged aerial bundled cables (ABC) and underground cables have been completed, the statement said.
At the Nilakkal base camp, overhead line conductors have been replaced with low-tension ABC lines.
New switches, insulation to protect wildlife and monkey guards, as requested by the Forest Department, have also been installed, officials said.
The Sabarimala region has 18.3 km of high-tension lines, 20.1 km of low-tension lines and 38 distribution transformers.
All power lines supplying Sabarimala, Pamba and the forest route are insulated ABC lines, the KSEB said.
Power is supplied to these areas through four 11-kV feeders from the 66-kV Thriveni substation.
The Nilakkal base camp receives power through two 11-kV feeders from the Kakkad substation, officials said.
Alternative arrangements are in place to supply electricity from the Erumeli substation and Moozhiyar power house in case of an interruption at Kakkad.
Touching clearance works on all feeders supplying the region have been completed, while damaged poles and conductors on the Kakkad feeder have been restored, KSEB said.
Maintenance works at all substations in Pathanamthitta district have been completed.
Equipment inspections, relay testing and general maintenance at the 66-kV Thriveni and Kochupampa substations have also been completed, with emergency spare parts stocked, the statement said.
The KSEB said power supply would be restored within 30 seconds through line testing if any 11-kV line connected to the Thriveni substation trips during the pilgrimage season.
Maintenance of the Sabarigiri-Kochupampa, Vandiperiyar-Kochupampa and Kochupampa-Thriveni lines has been completed. A 4 MVA, 66/11-kV transformer at the Kochupampa substation has been replaced with a 10 MVA unit, while the 10 MVA transformer at the Thriveni substation has undergone overhauling, the statement said.
Maintenance at the Moozhiyar switchyard and Erumeli section is in its final stages.
Arrangements are also being made to ensure adequate power supply during major events at Erumeli, including the Chandanakudam festival and the Petta Thullal rituals of the Ambalappuzha and Alangad groups, officials said.
Reflective stickers are being installed on roadside electric poles to make them visible to drivers at night and minimise damage in road accidents.
The board has also made arrangements to restore supply through back-feeding in case of damage to poles or power interruptions caused by vehicle accidents, officials said.
A 25-member KSEB team led by an assistant engineer will remain on duty round-the-clock in the Sabarimala region to ensure uninterrupted power supply.
State-level and district-level nodal officers have also been appointed to coordinate the arrangements for the pilgrimage season, the statement added.
(PTI News)
