Pune: Power Outage Hits 200 IT Companies in Hinjawadi Due to Fire Near Ambegaon Hills
A major power outage disrupted operations for over 90,000 domestic, commercial, and industrial consumers, including 200 IT companies in Hinjawadi, following a fire incident in the Ambegaon hills on Saturday, March 22. The fire, which ignited small and large trees and bushes, spread beneath the Pirangut-Kandalgaon 220 KV extra-high-voltage tower line of Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited (MSETCL), causing a tripping event.
The incident led to the disruption of 31 substations—13 in the Pimpri division and 18 in the Mulshi division—creating a power deficit of 182 MW. Senior MSETCL engineers swiftly responded, carrying out repairs and restoring power within 43 minutes.
This is not an isolated incident. Earlier in March, a similar disruption occurred when an unidentified person set fire to dry grass near the 400 kV substations in Talegaon, affecting nearly 2.49 lakh consumers in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Chakan MIDC, Bhosari, and nearby areas for over an hour.
MSETCL officials have expressed concerns over the recurring fire incidents near high-voltage power infrastructure, especially during dry seasons. An official stated, “These incidents highlight the vulnerability of our infrastructure to fire hazards. We are implementing stricter preventive measures, including firebreaks and regular monitoring of vegetation near power lines, to mitigate future risks.”
The repeated power disruptions underscore the need for enhanced safety measures to protect critical power infrastructure and ensure uninterrupted supply to consumers, particularly in industrial hubs like Hinjawadi.
