When will Assam stop losing power every time it rains?
Every time dark clouds gather over Assam, the state’s residents brace themselves not just for a downpour, but for yet another round of power cuts. From Guwahati to Barak Valley and beyond, storms—whether mild or severe—inevitably lead to prolonged electricity disruptions. While the state capital sees quicker restoration, rural areas continue to languish in darkness for days, raising the question: when will Assam stop losing power every time it rains?
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In Mohadebpur village, under Dholai constituency in Cachar district, residents like Rupai Das have grown used to this grim routine. “When there is a storm, it is expected that power supply will be disconnected for two to three days,” Das told GPlus. He recalls one particularly frustrating episode during the last Lok Sabha elections when electricity was unavailable for a whole week. “Even now, during small downpours, the power supply is erratic,” he added. His is not an isolated case. Across Barak Valley, similar complaints echo in villages and small towns where infrastructure is old, maintenance is slow, and solutions are distant.
Even Guwahati, Assam’s administrative and commercial hub, is not immune to power disruptions. On April 25, at around 12:20 AM, a hailstorm hit the city. Within minutes, several neighbourhoods plunged into darkness. A resident of Jyotikuchi area said, “From 12:15 AM there was no electricity. It was restored only around 5 AM, after we made multiple complaints to APDCL.” She added that outages in her locality have been happening regularly at night, even without any storms—indicating a deeper, systemic issue.
The Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) acknowledges the problem. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a senior APDCL official told GPlus, “After a storm or similar weather situation, many connections are affected due to trees falling on wires, transformers getting damaged by high winds, and other weather-related issues.” The official emphasised that APDCL is aware of the persistent power failures and stressed that infrastructural improvements are the only long-term solution. “Underground cable network is the only solution,” he said, pointing to it as a critical investment to shield Assam’s power infrastructure from weather shocks.
That solution, however, is still far from becoming reality. Back in 2019, APDCL had announced an ambitious project to replace Guwahati’s aging overhead cables with underground ones. The goal was to improve safety, reduce maintenance disruptions, and modernise power distribution in the city. The estimated cost of this overhaul? Rs 3,000 crore. While a detailed project report (DPR) was prepared, six years later the plan remains largely on paper. The official noted that only once funding is secured will the project begin, starting with Guwahati and eventually expanding statewide.
Meanwhile, the state continues to suffer from what experts call AT&C (Aggregate Technical and Commercial) losses—wastage and inefficiencies in the distribution system. Guwahati’s AT&C loss stands at 6 to 7 per cent. Across Assam, the figure is much worse: 15 to 16 per cent, which matches the national average. “The losses are primarily because of overhead cables and outdated infrastructure,” the APDCL official said. In a state where electricity demand peaks at 2,400 MW (450 MW in Guwahati alone), such losses are both economically and operationally damaging.
Barak Valley, in particular, remains one of the worst affected areas. Here, much of the power infrastructure dates back decades—wires, transformers, electric poles—all showing signs of wear and tear. APDCL claims to be replacing them gradually, but progress is slow. And while temporary repairs help, the underlying problems persist. “Even in Guwahati, where the political and financial power centers are based, the underground cable project is pending for six years. What can be expected for rural areas?” a resident from Silchar asked rhetorically.
Storm-related blackouts are not exclusive to Assam, but the state’s frequency of disruption has prompted experts to question the preparedness of its power grid. According to recent updates, even during Cyclone Remal’s outer impact on northeast India, Assam saw damage to over 300 electric poles in Nagaon district alone. Remarkably, power was restored within 12 hours there—a testament to APDCL’s efforts in some districts. However, such swift responses are exceptions, not the rule.
In cities like Bangalore and Mumbai, underground cable systems have proven their worth, shielding infrastructure from rain and wind. States like Kerala and Tamil Nadu have also made substantial progress in underground cabling, especially in urban areas. Experts argue that Assam, with its high incidence of rainfall and storms, would benefit immensely from such a transition. However, political will and financial investment remain the key hurdles.
There are also environmental and planning concerns. Laying underground cables is not just expensive—it’s logistically complex. Urban congestion, land acquisition issues, and ecological sensitivities in forested areas make implementation slow and difficult. Yet, as the frequency of storms increases due to climate change, such an investment becomes less a choice and more a necessity.
For now, residents across Assam have little choice but to wait and hope. In Guwahati, citizens continue to log complaints during every storm. In Barak Valley, villagers charge their phones in nearby towns with generators. In places like Dholai, people have accepted that storm means darkness.
Assam’s power woes reflect a larger issue plaguing India’s infrastructure development: great plans, sluggish implementation. The underground cable network has been identified as the future. But for the people enduring blackouts every time it rains, that future cannot come soon enough.
Until then, every drop of rain in Assam will continue to bring with it the question: when will the lights stay on?