Madhubani Heatwave Triggers Power Substation Failure
Madhubani urban area is experiencing recurring power outages due to overheating and overloading of a key transformer, deepening residents’ distress amid soaring summer temperatures. Engineers have rebalanced the transformer load to restore supply, but the incident highlights gaps in infrastructure resilience and the urgent need for sustainable upgrades in rapidly growing urban centres.
Three 10 MVA transformers at Madhubani’s main urban substation are responsible for powering the entire city. Recently, transformer No. 1—serving the Mangrauni, New and Old feeders—exceeded its 15 MW capacity when load peaked at 17 MW, causing overheating. To prevent damage, engineers quickly shifted the load to the two remaining transformers, leading to planned rotational power cuts across the affected areas. The transformer failure occurred during an intense heatwave, forcing residents to endure disruptions amid sweltering conditions.
A maintenance, repair and testing (MRT) team from Darbhanga arrived midweek to assist local engineers in alleviating the crisis. The team, alongside the executive and assistant engineers, redistributed the load more evenly across the substation. A senior power-sector official confirmed that transformer No. 1 has been taken offline temporarily, with its duties assumed by the two operational transformers. This intervention has eliminated the need for rotational outages, and authorities assure consumers that electricity supply has returned to normal.
However, the incident highlights systemic risks in Madhubani’s power distribution infrastructure. Urban centers across northern India are increasingly battling capacity constraints and outdated assets as summer electrification peaks. Local power planners note that rising temperatures and increased air-conditioning use have pushed many regional substations beyond design thresholds. The Madhubani substation was built decades ago and has not undergone capacity expansion despite population growth and rising residential demand.
Experts stress that long-term robustness requires strategic infrastructure investment and grid modernisation. Priorities include procuring higher-capacity transformers, strengthening redundancy mechanisms and implementing real-time load monitoring. An urban energy planner commented, “Round-the-clock monitoring and predictive maintenance are vital to prevent summer breakdowns, especially in growing towns like Madhubani.” Sustainable upgrades could help mitigate cascading failures and provide reliable electricity during extreme heat events.
The broader implications for Madhubani extend beyond immediate outages. Reliable power is essential not just for cooling but also for healthcare, education and economic activity during heatwaves. Unplanned interruptions can affect small businesses, medical devices, water supply and digital services, compounding the stress of vulnerable households. An equitable urban development expert emphasised the need to prioritise essential service resilience in low-carbon city planning, noting that investing in power infrastructure is critical for both economic inclusion and climate adaptation.
