SHIMLA, Jan 2 — The entire Himachal Pradesh barring some pockets in the interior areas today remained without power for four to eight hours due to a major breakdown in power supply even as the state experienced intense cold wave conditions.

The power failure was caused by a major fault in 400 kv transmission line in Uttar Pradesh. The power grid at Dehar, UP border and Jassur were seriously affected and even the power generated by projects within the state could not be fed into the grid.

The Dehar power grid was restored in the morning but it again developed some snag and was fully restored around 12.30 p.m, Chief Engineer (operation) of the HPSEB, Mr P.K. Sood said.

Meanwhile, upper areas of Shimla remained cut due to fresh snowfall and the traffic on 320 km-long Hindustan-Tibet National Highway remained blocked at Kufri and Narkanda. The hills around Manali, Rohtang Pass, Dhauladhar, and Churdhar ranges and Kunzam, Saach and Chansel passes also had another spell of moderate snowfall.

KARNAL: Normal life was put out of gear in areas of Panipat, Karnal, Yamunanagar, Kaithal and Kurukshetra districts because of power failure following a snag which developed in the Northern Grid today. Power in these districts could be restored only after nine hours. Almost all trains on the Amritsar-Delhi section ran late because of the grid failure.

Official sources told TNS that the snag developed because of high voltage in the system. The high voltage was the result of sudden less consumption of power in these areas because of incessant rains for two days in the district.

SONEPAT: Sonepat city and its surrounding areas continue to face the worst-ever power crisis for the second day today following a major power breakdown that occurred in the Northern Grid.

The drinking water supply, hospital services and telephone as well as telegraph services were the worst hit. Most of the areas of the city remained without water for the second day today.

FARIDABAD: The failure of the Northern Grid resulted in heavy disruption of power supply in this industrial town and nearby areas since early this morning. Life here was adversely affected following the power cut which continued for more than 12 hours. Several trains were also delayed for four to five hours.

FATEHABAD: Partially due to some snag in the Bhakra Power Plant and largely due to the apathetic attitude of the Bijli Nigam authorities, the local residents have been facing frequent power cuts during the past few days.

HOSHIARPUR: People of the district have been facing great difficulty due to failure of power supply today which has badly hit normal life and has also adversely affected the industrial growth.

MOGA: Power supply remained disrupted in the town today from 3 a.m. to 8 a.m. The water supply also remained suspended in the town.

PHAGWARA: The power breakdown this morning marred the “Agmanpurb” celebrations of Guru Gobind Singh today. Several devotees were deprived of bath while others had to do “Ishnan” in icy cold water whose supply was also disrupted. Reports of power failure were also received from Malerkotla.

PATIALA: A complete power failure affected Punjab early today morning with collapse of the Northern Grid following a fault in Uttar Pradesh . The power position started limping back to normal by evening in urban areas but the rural areas and the industrial sector will have to wait till night for resumption of electrical supply .

The Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) Chief Engineer, Systems Operations, Mr J.M. Vashist, said the Northern Grid collapsed in the early hours today following tripping of 400 KV lines at Panki Sub-Station in Uttar Pradesh .

The Bhakra Beas Management Board system also later developed a snag resulting in its collapse at 10.30 a.m. before it was restored after about one hour .

The Chief Engineer said though power had been restored by late afternoon in most of the urban areas, rural areas as well as the industrial sector remained without power till late evening . Board officials said power would be restored to the industrial sector by night. They said the Ropar, Lehra Mohabbat and Bathinda thermal plants would become fully operational by late evening .

HISAR: The town remained without power for several hours on Tuesday. the supply was disrupted at 4 a.m. and restored in the afternoon. A spokesman of the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam said a major technical fault in the Uttar Pradesh section of the Northern Grid after the midnight due to which all generating units of the state has started tripping and there was no option with the nigam but to cut the power supply.