WEAKNESSES FOUND IN THE ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION OF AREA.

EE-133
The weaknesses in the electrical distribution of area can be classified into four categories: Protection Connections Terminal voltage Earthing

Starting with the POLE MOUNTED TRANSFORMER(PMT) of my area. It is a 250KVA transformer. As seen in the picture of pmt, the pole is in rusted condition and is also tilted towards one side which may one day result in fatal accident for pedestrians if it collapses. The transformer is not fully protected as the covering of the meter and other parts were found broken. Dust and other mud particles have surrounded the transformer. The connections are very loose and during the monsoon season these wires lose their position and are the major cause of electrocution. On the left side of the picture it can be observed that many illegal connections are drawn by the hawkers. These illegal connections also become the reason of breaking up the wires and causing problems for the residences. The earthing of the transformer has been done. I have never witnessed maintenance work being carried out by KESC which also effects the performance of the transformer as a result transformer regularly breaks down during summer season when load is at its peak. From the transformer a single overhead wire leads its way to the residential buildings. These single overhead wires are newly installed and are tightly connected. Then every building has its own electrical system which has meters and fuses and is supplied to homes as shown in the picture. No earthing is done in the building which is a cause of concern. The wires of the buildings are also quite old and from many joints they were found loose which might cause short circuit in the system. Proper wiring is required as all the wires were jumbled up. No maintenance is carried out as the meters and fuses were covered with dust and dirt. This system is not properly protected as during monsoon season water easily enters and floating wires can be observed which may cause electrocution.

Now the connections of my home are discussed. The system can be seen in the picture. Proper and tight wiring is done. The supply goes to circuit breakers and every circuit breaker is assigned to every room separated. No earthing is done. The terminal voltage is found to be fluctuating between 220V and 230V.The system is properly protected and regularly maintained. One of the problems in the home is that the socket boards dont have fuse so in case of emergency the circuit breaker of that room trips. So it is necessary to have a fuse attached to every board so that in case of high current that fuse trips down and saves the appliances from being damaged. The appliances should also have three pin plugs. The switches and sockets are found to be in perfect working condition.

CONCLUSION:
After studying the electrical distribution system of area it can be concluded that our system is not at all reliable. It needs a major and a proper repair work. The whole system needs to be upgraded. Alternatives should be planned and implemented in case of emergency. Theft is seen as a major concern at the transformer side which should be addressed by the concerned authorities. Regular maintenance work should be carried out in order to overcome these weaknesses. And preventive measures should also be taken to save precious human lives and facilitate the consumers.

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