Heavy rains and floods have caused significant losses for Hubli Electricity Supply Company Limited (Hescom) in the Belgaum district, amounting to ₹11.29 crore this rainy season. Extensive repairs have been carried out on damaged electrical equipment.
Hescom had previously faced severe challenges during the devastating floods of 2019, which resulted in the damage of over 17,000 electricity poles and the submersion of 5,000 transformers in Belgaum district. This time, the overflow of rivers such as Malaprabha, Ghataprabha, Krishna, Hiranyakeshi, Dudhganga, Vedaganga, and Markandeya, along with continuous rainfall, has again led to damage to electrical infrastructure. In some areas, inspection and repair work has been delayed due to waterlogging and silt accumulation in riverbed farmlands, and the extent of the damage may increase as assessments continue.
So far, 2,981 electricity poles have been damaged in the district, with 1,917 affected in the Belgaum circle and 1,064 in the Chikkodi circle. The hardest-hit taluks include Savadatti (496 poles), Raibag (417 poles), and Nippani (361 poles). Out of the damaged poles, 2,864 have been replaced, with only 117 pending installation.
Gokak Taluk has been particularly impacted, with 175 transformers damaged out of a total of 511 in the district. The Ghataprabha River, swollen by large water releases from the Hidal reservoir, caused much of the damage. Mudalagi (80 transformers), Belgaum (70 transformers), Chikkodi (66 transformers), and Nippani (53 transformers) also reported significant losses. So far, 509 new transformers have been installed, with only two still awaiting replacement.
Additionally, 107.47 km of power lines have been damaged, including 44.51 km in Belgaum taluk, 61.90 km in Khanapur, and 1.06 km in Savadatti.
To address public concerns, Hescom has established 25 Grievance Redressal Centers across the district, operating 24/7 with 25 reserved vehicles and 175 outsourced personnel dedicated to repair work. Hescom Belgaum District Superintendent Engineer Praveenkumar Chikkade confirmed this during a visit to the repair efforts in Khanapur taluk.
