Ukhrul Town is once again facing prolonged power outages due to the monsoon season, exposing the fragility of the district’s ageing power infrastructure. The disruptions affect hospitals, schools, businesses, government offices, and daily life, raising concerns about why lasting solutions remain elusive despite the annual recurrence of the problem.
According to officials familiar with the electricity network, the issue lies in the challenging terrain, an ageing transmission system, inadequate infrastructure, and a severe shortage of technical manpower. Ukhrul Town depends on a 33 kV transmission line running from Hundung to the Ukhrul Khunjao 33/11 kV Substation and onward to the Tolloi, Namrei, and Jessami Substations, which stretches for over 100 kilometres through difficult terrain.
A fault occurring anywhere along the line can interrupt the electricity supply to Ukhrul Town and the entire district. Officials suggest that upgrading the relay protection systems at the Tolloi and Namrei Substations could significantly reduce unnecessary outages by isolating faults more effectively. However, the upgrade has yet to be implemented.
The absence of an operational MSPCL office in either Ukhrul or Kamjong is another major concern. Technical teams must travel from Imphal to repair major faults, which can be delayed due to landslides, blocked roads, and adverse weather during the monsoon. Residents say the result is a pattern of repeated interruptions with restoration taking much longer than expected.
The manpower situation within MSPDCL’s Ukhrul Division highlights another challenge. Departmental figures indicate that 102 Assistant Linesman posts are sanctioned, but only 2 personnel are available, and all 34 sanctioned Linesman posts are reportedly vacant. Routine maintenance and emergency work are largely carried out by a small team of daily wage workers.
Power experts note that such staffing levels make preventive maintenance and rapid restoration difficult, particularly during the monsoon when faults become more frequent. Officials have proposed several measures to improve the reliability of electricity supply, including upgrading the existing 3.15 MVA transformer at the Hundung 33/11 kV Substation and recruiting at least 50 Junior Technician Assistants on a daily wage basis.
A longer-term proposal is the establishment of a dedicated 33/11 kV Substation at Kaziphung, Hungpung for Ukhrul Town. Residents argue that reliable electricity is not a luxury but a basic public service that is essential for development. The annual recurrence of power disruptions has led to renewed calls for decisive action from the State Government, MSPCL, and MSPDCL.
Stakeholders are urging authorities to strengthen transmission infrastructure, improve protection systems, fill critical vacancies, and accelerate long-pending upgrades. With the monsoon far from over, residents fear that recurring blackouts will continue unless urgent action is taken. The solutions are neither new nor impractical; they have been identified for years. What remains uncertain is whether the authorities will finally act to strengthen Ukhrul’s power infrastructure and deliver the reliable electricity supply the district deserves.
