A major fire broke out at the Curti Ponda Power Sub Station on Thursday morning after a blast in part of a 63 MV power transformer, causing losses estimated at Rs 10 lakh to the Electricity Department and triggering a widespread power outage across Ponda and nearby industrial areas.
Cause and response
The incident, reported around 11.20 am, led to a power breakdown for nearly an hour, affecting close to 80 per cent of Ponda taluka, including Verna, Bethora, Kundaim, Marcaim and surrounding regions. Supply was restored by 12.20 pm after emergency teams brought the fire under control using extinguishers available at the substation.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Officials said the fire was caused by a short circuit following a voltage surge, which was triggered as most industries were closed for the Dussehra holiday. “Most industries were shut for the festival, resulting in reduced load and a sudden surge in voltage, which affected the transformer and surrounding network,” explained Vatan Kunkolienkar, Assistant Engineer at the Curti substation.
Power Minister Sudin Dhavalikar, who visited the site, expressed regret over the inconvenience caused. “Department staff, including engineers, rushed to the spot immediately and I also informed the Chief Engineer. The fault was repaired and supply restored within an hour,” he said.
Executive Engineer Sudan Cuncolienkar noted that such incidents are not uncommon during festive periods. “On the eve of Dussehra and Diwali, most industries shut down, leading to lower power consumption. This creates high voltage, which can affect transformers. This phenomenon occurs not only in Goa but also in other states,” he explained.
The blast also impacted low-tension feeders, causing further disruption. However, restoration work was carried out on a war footing, ensuring minimal prolonged inconvenience for both residents and industries.
