Several regions across Maharashtra, barring the metropolis, Goa and Gujarat were hit by power failure on Wednesday morning and supply was not restored in many parts when reports last came in.It was the second time in less than a month that areas across Western Maharashtra, Vidarbha and Marathwada witnessed a power breakdown after grid failure on October 6 due to improper maintenance of high tension lines. Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) chairman Asoke Basak said: ‘‘We are examining the reasons for today’s failure. There was low voltage on the Nashik-Dhule-Bhusawal belt, which initially affected local transformers and had a cascading effect on the entire system, resulting in complete power failure in several parts of Maharashtra.’’Supply to Western Maharashtra and Vidarbha was restored by Wednesday evening. For the remaining areas, Basak said, MSEB staff were working overtime to restore supply. Mumbai was not affected due to the islanding system put in place by Tata Power Company, but Navi Mumbai and Pune were severely hit, an official said. Trains on Central Railway beyond Igatpuri were delayed by a few hours as a result, an official said.Basak said there was no violation of the grid code today by power boards in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh or Gujarat. Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, who reviewed the situation, said: ‘‘I have asked MSEB to ensure uninterrupted power supply.’’ He admitted that there has been no addition of power in the last decade due to which the state was facing a shortage.
