Lucknow: With most distribution transformers operating at just 50-70% efficiency after repeated repairs, while many others burdened beyond 80% loading, the UP Rajya Vidyut Parishad Abhiyanta Sangh has warned that the state’s power distribution system is being driven towards preventable failures.In a letter dated Apr 1 to the UP power corporation ltd (UPPCL), the association said transformer damage is increasingly the result of structural and policy shortcomings rather than lapses by field engineers.It highlighted that many distribution transformers have undergone multiple repair cycles, reducing their effective capacity, yet continue to be deployed under heavy load conditions.The association said replacement is carried out only after transformers are damaged, as UPPCL lacks a system for age classification, life-cycle assessment and health-based monitoring. As a result, transformers with weakened insulation and mechanical structures are exposed to sustained overloading, accelerating deterioration.Engineers also pointed to the cumulative impact of repeated electrical faults, explaining that even brief fault currents cause mechanical stress and thermal damage to windings and insulation, eventually leading to internal failure despite operational protection systems.While stressing that engineers’ sustained efforts have led to a year-on-year decline in transformer failures, with data up to Feb showing improvement, the association said punitive action is often initiated without technical investigation.It urged UPPCL to implement health index-based monitoring, phased replacement of aged and chronically faulty transformers, strict adherence to repair standards and a clear scrap policy to improve system reliability and protect operational staff from unwarranted accountability.
