Jamshedpur, April 24: A major break down at the Gamharia power grid substation has disrupted power supply in several Jharkhand State Electricity Board (JSEB) command areas in Singhbhum region since last night.

This has added to the people?s woes as the JSEB command areas in Singhbhum is already reeling under severe power crisis for the last five days as the thermal unit at Tenughat Vidyut Nigam Limited (TVNL) has shut down for maintenance and repair work.

JSEB sources said several areas under the Singhbhum Area Board including Karandih, Mango, Chhota Govindpur, Parsudih and Adityapur is facing problems of compulsory load shedding and power tripping since last night. Production activities at the Adityapur industrial was also hit due to power crisis.

The snag at the Gamharia power grid substation has further aggravated the situation.

Superintending engineer of Singhbhum Area Board, Laxman Mahato confirmed that power supply was disrupted in several localities under the board due to the break down at Gamharia grid sub-station. Though efforts are being made to streamline power supply from the Gamharia grid substation, sources said the rural areas are the worst hit with 10 to 12 hours of load shedding.

At present, the twin power grid substations at Gamharia and Golmuri (which supplies electricity in the areas under Singhbhum Area Board) is getting about 60 MW against a requirement of 120 MW from the Central Load Dispatch (CLD). This has resulted in frequent load shedding in the JSEB command areas.

?We are in touch with the CLD officials in Ranchi. The power scenario in the Singhbhum region is likely to improve as the CLD has assured us adequate power supply from this evening. We are expecting an improvement as the TVNL will start functioning from tomorrow,? Mahato said. The crisis has severely affected pumping of water from Kharkai river to the Sitarampur dam, which caters to about two lakhs people.

The Sitarampur dam supplies water in the residential and industrial areas in Adityapur, Shastrinagar, Jugsalai and Bagbera. Absence of rainfall and soaring temperatures in the city and its adjoining areas has pushed the water of Sitarampur dam below 10 feet.

Junior engineer of water and sanitation department (Adityapur), Arun Kumar said, ?Today?s reading indicates that the water level at the Sitarampur dam has touched the 8 ft 9 inch mark.?

Though two motor-pumps have been pressed into service since yesterday to draw water from the Kharkai to fill up the dam, poor power supply has hampered the process. The pumps could not be operated today due to prolonged power cuts, he said.