SPDCL to replace metal clamps with FRP to avoid power outages caused by reptiles

According to SPDCL Chairman and Managing Director Musharraf Ali Faruqui, reptiles like Lizards, Iguana, squirrels and other small animals like cats and birds often get electrocuted and die when they come into contact with live wire, which also causes power outages

Hyderabad: In order to avoid power outages caused by animals and birds, Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited(TGSPDCL) has decided to replace metal clamps with specially designed Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) silicon clamps on all the lines under its jurisdiction.

According to SPDCL Chairman and Managing Director Musharraf Ali Faruqui, reptiles like Lizards, Iguana, squirrels and other small animals like cats and birds often get electrocuted and die when they come into contact with live wire (Metal clamp) point and earth (Metal clamp) point on Horn Gap fuse insulator sets at transformers, breakers and limbs causing tripping of feeders, leading to power supply disruptions.

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“Nearly 14 percent of tripping take place due to short circuits caused by reptiles, animals and birds,”he said.

Hence, to avoid power outages and to save the reptiles and other animals from being electrocuted, the current metal clamps used in HG fuse sets, breakers and limbs at various electrical equipment, would be replaced with FRP silicon clamps, he said, adding that these clamps were non-conductive, so even if reptiles come into contact with them, they would not be electrocuted.

Initially, around 3,000 FRP silicon clamps would be installed in areas with high tree density and reptile population, Musharraf said.

“This small change is expected to benefit reptiles and reduce power supply disruptions,” he added.

However,for quite sometime now, the SPDCL authorities have started putting blame on reptiles and birds for power outages. Whenever there is a power outage, the power utilities immediately issue statements stating that the disruption took place due to a short circuit caused by a reptile or bird or some small creatures.