" Keeping the Lights On: A Real Story of Transformer Operations & Maintenance "
At the heart of every industrial plant, residential township, or city grid lies a silent workhorse — the transformer. It’s the unseen hero that steps down (or up) voltage levels, ensuring that the power we need arrives safely and efficiently. But what happens when the hero stumbles? This is a real-world account of why Operations and Maintenance (O&M) of transformers just good practice isn't — it’s critical survival. The Incident: A Near Catastrophe It was an unusually hot summer afternoon at a medium-sized manufacturing unit in Gujarat. Operations were in full swing — machines buzzing, workers moving about — when suddenly, an alarm blared in the control room. Transformer 2 — a 2500 kVA oil-immersed distribution transformer — had tripped unexpectedly. Within minutes, chaos threatened. Production lines halted, critical loads went down, and the plant's management was scrambling. The maintenance manager, Mr. Rajeev, rushed to the substation. His team quickly noticed tel...