Bengaluru: Despite Karnataka generating surplus power, with 60–70% sourced from renewables, several parts of Bengaluru have experienced day-long power cuts, particularly on weekends over the past two months. Officials clarified that these outages are not load-shedding but part of a long-pending maintenance drive by Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (KPTCL) and Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom).

Maintenance drive overdue since January 2025

The maintenance work, delayed since January 2025, is being carried out in phases. Starting in August, KPTCL and Bescom divisions began issuing public notices of planned outages, citing routine servicing and infrastructure upgrades.

Bengaluru’s power network is extensive, with KPTCL operating 344 stations ranging from 66kV to 400kV. Bescom manages nearly 20 receiving stations and 100 substations that step down and distribute power across the metropolitan area.

A KPTCL engineer explained, “Given Bengaluru’s rising consumption, all installations — from transformers to conductors — require periodic maintenance at least once in three months to handle fluctuating loads.”

Reasons for delayed maintenance

Officials said maintenance was repeatedly postponed earlier this year for several reasons:

  • The state government barred outages during summer and pre-monsoon months due to school and college exams.
  • Early monsoon rains left little window for scheduled work.

Field engineers warned that the prolonged delay created “red hotspots” in the network — areas of overload that could trigger tripping or damage household appliances due to voltage fluctuations.

An official clarified, “Servicing all installations was inevitable. The outages are temporary and necessary to safeguard Bengaluru’s power infrastructure. The backlog should be cleared by the end of September or the first week of October, depending on rainfall.”

Areas affected by Sunday’s power cuts

Residents have been advised of planned power disruptions on Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm in the following areas:

Around Vijayanagar: Basaveshwaranagar, Vijayanagar, Govindarajanagar, Kamakshipalya, RPC Layout, Prashanthnagar, MC Layout, Marenahalli, Hosahalli, Thimmenahalli, Vinayaka Layout, Kaveripura, Ranganathapura, Syndicate Bank Colony, Nagarbavi, Siddaiah Puranik Road, KHB Colony, Magadi Main Road, HCR Layout, Agrahara Dasarahalli, and surrounding areas.

Around Peenya: Peenya Industrial Area 1st Stage, TVS Cross Road, ISRO 1st and 2nd Cross, Peenya 10th Main, 11th Main, surroundings of Udupi Hotel, IR Polytechnic Road, Lakshmi Devi Nagar, Laggere Old Village, Lava Kusha Nagar, Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, Chowdeshwari Nagar 6th–9th Cross, MEI, and Yeshwanthpur Industrial Area.

Officials have urged residents and businesses to plan ahead, avoid unnecessary usage during the outage, and switch to backup power sources where available.

Conclusion

While Bengaluru continues to generate surplus power, the current outages are a necessary measure to maintain the city’s electrical infrastructure and prevent future disruptions. Once the maintenance drive is completed, the city’s power supply is expected to stabilise with improved reliability.