Gangtok: Residents and businesses in Gangtok, Mangan, and Pakyong districts of Sikkim are bracing for a series of power outages as the state’s power department undertakes essential infrastructure upgrades. A newly issued alert from the department details a complete shutdown of electricity supply across these regions.
The disruption is necessitated by the commissioning of a significant 1x50MVA transformer at the 132/66KV Substation located at LLHP, a project being carried out under the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL). Officials have stated that this installation is vital for addressing the increasing power demands within the state, enhancing the overall stability of the power grid, and ensuring adherence to the critical N-1 contingency requirement.
The initial phase of this power shutdown is already underway today, April 13, 2025, having commenced at 8:00 am and scheduled to conclude at 12:00 noon. Adding to this, a subsequent power outage has been announced for tomorrow, April 14, following directives from higher authorities. This second shutdown will be in effect from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm, impacting the entirety of Pakyong, Gangtok, and Mangan districts once again.
These planned blackouts are integral to a larger strategy aimed at securing a more reliable and robust power supply for the future. The power department has previously implemented similar outages on March 22 and 23, with a duration from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm on both days, and again on April 12 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. While a shutdown for today, April 13, from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm, had been previously communicated, the addition of tomorrow’s disruption indicates the urgency of the ongoing work.
In an effort to minimize the impact on the general public, the power department strategically scheduled these crucial works on weekends and holidays, specifically the fourth Saturday and Sunday of March and the second Saturday and Sunday of April. This approach aimed to take advantage of periods with potentially lower power consumption and reduced activity.
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