A 20 MVA power transformer installed at Sarangpur Substation in Rajgarh district by the Madhya Pradesh Power Transmission Company (MP Transco) has completed 50 years of uninterrupted service, emerging as a symbol of technical excellence, robust engineering and efficient maintenance. Manufactured in 1976 by the erstwhile New Government Electric Factory (NGEF), a Karnataka Government-owned enterprise, the transformer has been supplying reliable electricity to industrial, agricultural and domestic consumers in the Malwa region since it was first energised. Energy Minister Pradyuman Singh Tomar described the achievement as a testament to the technical competence and dedication of the State’s power utilities. He said the transformer exemplifies optimal resource utilisation at a time when the power sector is focused on maximising the life of critical infrastructure.

 

“It is not just a machine, but a symbol of the commitment of thousands of engineers and technicians who have maintained its efficiency for five decades,” he said. A power transformer’s normal service life is generally around 25 years, making the Sarangpur unit’s 50 years of continuous operation a significant engineering milestone. MP Transco attributed the transformer’s longevity to decades of co-ordinated maintenance by engineers of the former Madhya Pradesh Electricity Board, Madhya Pradesh State Electricity Board and MP Transco. Regular testing, preventive maintenance, balanced load management, adherence to technical standards and effective upkeep of connected feeders have helped minimise electrical and mechanical stress, ensuring reliable performance. NGEF, established in Bengaluru in 1956 with technical collaboration from Germany’s AEG, manufactured power transformers and electrical equipment until it ceased operations in 2002.