Yingkiong, Oct 08 – Entire parts of Upper Siang, including the district headquarters Yingkiong, have been plunged into darkness as a result of technical problems at Angong Nallah, Janbo, and Sirnyuk Hydel. This widespread disruption has severely affected normal life in the region.
The issue traces back to October 3rd, when the Executive Engineer of Yingkiong Electrical Division issued a circular. The circular stated that due to significant line damage on the Angong to Yingkiong 33KV line caused by highway construction companies, there would be no power supply from Angong Micro Hydel Scheme (MHS) for a period of 10 days. Instead, power supply to Yingkiong township and its surrounding villages would be provided by Sirnyuk Micro Hydel on an hourly load shedding schedule, starting from October 4th, 2023.
However, this temporary solution turned into another problem when Sirnyuk Hydel experienced technical difficulties within a day of operation. This sudden breakdown left Yingkiong township, Mariyang, and several nearby villages, including Karko, Jengging, Simong, Haleng, Mobuk, and Mopom circle, without power supply. Even Yingkiong Hydel Phase II remained non-operational, exacerbating the power crisis in Yingkiong town.
According to the Junior Engineer from the EM Department of Hydro Power, the breakdown in power supply from Sirnyuk Hydel was caused by a foreign material lodged inside the turbine. Despite continuous efforts, the material remained stuck inside the runner blade. To remove it, the draft tube needed to be dismantled, which is a time-consuming process. It is estimated that it may take one more day to restore the plant and resume power supply.
Meanwhile, despite incessant rainfall, the Power Department in Yingkiong is working tirelessly to restore the faulty and damaged transmission lines from Angong Nallah, Janbo, and expedite the early restoration of power supply to the affected areas.
