Bescom loses 16,749 transformers in seven months
The Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) reported that over 16,000 transformers were damaged or burnt within the first seven months of 2026. The utility is implementing maintenance and upgrade strategies to manage overloading and environmental factors affecting the grid.
Why it matters
High failure rates in power infrastructure pose risks to service reliability and require significant capital expenditure for urban utility management.
Every year, around 38,000 to 40,000 transformers are burnt or damaged due to overload, lightning, aging, short circuits, manufacturing defects and other reasons within the jurisdiction of the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd. (Bescom). This year, in just seven months, around 16,749 transformers were burnt in Bescom jurisdiction until July 2026 out of a total of 5,71,178
According to Bescom’s Annual Performance Review report (APR), it incurred capital expenditure of ₹3,164.79 crore for the financial year 2024-25. Of this, ₹2,41.04 crore was for replacement of distribution transformers.
Officials state that on an average, around 28,000 transformers are added every year to the existing number. The average percentage of failure of transformers has remained consistent between 7 and 8% since 2019.
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