Chakan industries grapple with power crisis
Aug 14, 2026, 11.55 PM IST
Pune: Industrial units in Chakan say they are plagued by frequent power disruptions, in addition to the poor road infrastructure, which affects their operations.
“In July, we faced a power cut for five or six days straight. We had to stop production till we used diesel generators. The workers were idle and had to be paid. Even upon resumption, we were operating at 50% capacity. We later found out that an underground power cable was damaged,” a representative of Italian auto component manufacturer Brembo India said.
“The power supply to Chakan is of very poor quality — all the 12 feeders in the area are overloaded, causing tripping, damage, and losses,” Federation of Chakan Industries CEO Dilip Batwal said.
Power utility officials, meanwhile, said the problems were caused by a surge in demand for power in the industrial hub. The peak demand in Chakan has more than doubled to around 550 MVA, spurred by rapid expansion of the industrial and residential areas. MIDC is even considering expanding the hub to Phase 6.
The Road Ahead
The Chakan industrial area receives electricity from Talegaon and Lonikand transmission hubs. Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Ltd (MSETCL) is in the process of setting up five substations in Kuruli village, two in Chakan Phase 2, and has plans to add 100 MVA through the Volkswagen substation. It will also commission a substation near Bridgestone factory in three to four days.
MSETCL said the new substations will take the installed capacity from 700 MVA to 1,250 MVA. Currently, the capacity and the demand are neck and neck, leaving little room for error. Officials said it will take two years to commission the new substations because of delays in procuring raw materials to build transformers.
Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) has also set up substations in Mhada, Bhamboli and Waki and switching stations at Kuruli and Chakan, and undertaken the segregation of 65 km of underground and overhead power lines. It has installed 40 Ring Main Units (RMUs) and 83 new distribution transformers, and undertaken capacity augmentation of 90 distribution transformers and the upgrading of 85 km of high-tension power lines.
“In July, we faced a power cut for five or six days straight. We had to stop production till we used diesel generators. The workers were idle and had to be paid. Even upon resumption, we were operating at 50% capacity. We later found out that an underground power cable was damaged,” a representative of Italian auto component manufacturer Brembo India said.
“The power supply to Chakan is of very poor quality — all the 12 feeders in the area are overloaded, causing tripping, damage, and losses,” Federation of Chakan Industries CEO Dilip Batwal said.
Power utility officials, meanwhile, said the problems were caused by a surge in demand for power in the industrial hub. The peak demand in Chakan has more than doubled to around 550 MVA, spurred by rapid expansion of the industrial and residential areas. MIDC is even considering expanding the hub to Phase 6.
The Road Ahead
The Chakan industrial area receives electricity from Talegaon and Lonikand transmission hubs. Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Ltd (MSETCL) is in the process of setting up five substations in Kuruli village, two in Chakan Phase 2, and has plans to add 100 MVA through the Volkswagen substation. It will also commission a substation near Bridgestone factory in three to four days.
MSETCL said the new substations will take the installed capacity from 700 MVA to 1,250 MVA. Currently, the capacity and the demand are neck and neck, leaving little room for error. Officials said it will take two years to commission the new substations because of delays in procuring raw materials to build transformers.
Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) has also set up substations in Mhada, Bhamboli and Waki and switching stations at Kuruli and Chakan, and undertaken the segregation of 65 km of underground and overhead power lines. It has installed 40 Ring Main Units (RMUs) and 83 new distribution transformers, and undertaken capacity augmentation of 90 distribution transformers and the upgrading of 85 km of high-tension power lines.