Lucknow: The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has issued a nationwide advisory on electrical safety after a series of fire incidents and suspected air-conditioner explosions were reported in residential and commercial buildings in Lucknow, Noida, Delhi, Indore and Cuttack.In its advisory, the CEA urged consumers to use electricity safely during the ongoing heat conditions and to inform their respective distribution companies (discoms) of any increase in connected electrical load. The authority also directed discoms to closely monitor transformer loading and to replace overloaded equipment before breakdowns and failures occur.The CEA said rising temperatures and prolonged use of air conditioners and other cooling appliances have significantly increased electricity demand, placing added stress on household wiring, electrical installations and distribution infrastructure. It warned that overloaded wiring and electrical equipment can overheat, raising the risk of short circuits and fires.The authority advised consumers to keep their connected load within the sanctioned limit approved by discoms and to immediately report any additional load requirement.The advisory listed several precautions, including regular servicing of air conditioners, avoiding the use of multiple high-load appliances from a single socket or extension board, and installing properly rated miniature circuit breakers (MCBs) and residual current devices (RCDs).Reacting to the advisory, Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad (UPRVUP) chairman and CEA Central Advisory Committee member Avdhesh Kumar Verma claimed the sanctioned load of nearly 47 lakh consumers had been increased through software upgrades without completing mandatory technical inspections and electrical safety clearances.UPPCL chairman Ashish Kumar Goel has directed officials to strengthen the distribution system by preventing transformer overloading, ensuring timely replacement of damaged transformers, improving maintenance, enhancing revenue collection, maintaining reliable supply and deploying only skilled personnel at 33/11-kV substations.
