How to deal with opening of Electricity Schemes

The opening of Wellandura scheme off Kahawatte

in 1969, after June, it was scheduled to inagurate the Electricity Scheme for Wellandura which came under Kahawatte Town(Local Body). The opening of the scheme had the function in the Wellandura Temple and the opening carried out by the Hon.C P De Silva, The Minister of Power,Irrigation and Land and the Leader of the House. The CEB team led by the Area Engineer, Divisional Manager-South,and some senior EFF who were given enough authority to handle any situation. There were gangs at each Isolater for guarding against some activities by groups. I had the oppoutuinity of being with the DMS,EE whom used the Anglia car where I seated in front.
Neither DMS nor EE could better Sinhala and interpret of speaches. I was asked to do the interpreters job to brief the speech of the Minister. The Minister started his speech and since he used to stammer ,it was not possible to understand his speech well. However, I managed to brief my bosses from what I gather. They were under the impression that the Minister and the Hamuduruwo, Ven.Attudawe Gunaratna may criticise the work of DGEU .

The ceremony ended up without ant power failure and I learned that when a Minister responsible for Power visits an Area , it is the duty of the Engineer to look after the power so that there are no black outs.

How do I obtained my Electrical Engineering Experience: How I attended First Power Interruption

How do I obtained my Electrical Engineering Experience: How I attended First Power Interruption

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How I attended First Power Interruption

When CEB plans for line maintenance usually a 33kV line interrupted at a grid Substation,those days. Usually on Sundays a line is interrupted during that time.There was no problem of feedback as the lines are open at one end by an Isolator, a switch mounted on towers or poles which operates from the ground by a long handle. An Isolater cannot open with the load on.

There was an Isolator for each 33kV line in between two area boundaries and it could not be reached without 2-3 hours traveling from a grid. So the interrupted line is dead for 20-30 miles(miles used during that time).The roads were not good and in a hill area reaching Isolator further delays due to its installation in a mountain where workmen to walk about 100-200 yards ,in a jungle or tea land.

During my first interruption, I had to travelled to a place called Durakkanda ,a village off 15miles from Balangoda along the Rassagala to open the Isloater there.Opening of this Isolater assisted the EF Ratnapura to close one of their Isolators to feed back up to Durakkanda as the line beyond Durakkanda was under EF ratnapura. After opening the isolater, I noticed my linesmen and Golaya went little further and brought a pot and some other things supposed to eat. The pot was full of Kitul Toddy and boiled Manioc with maldive fish sambol. I was given an opportuinity to sip and I did with my firm refusal. I sipped it and ate maniioc with sambol.

These were very tasty during our young days. We came back and started cleaning insulators of the 33kV line in addition to connection to a new substation. The insulators were full of fungus and glass appearance was totally covered with fungus. There was three gangs to work and working on an interruption on Sundays were compulsary.

Strike by DGEU Employees

In 1969 , the strike organised by the unions of the then DGEU was very interesting to me. I did not anything about it as I was new to the organisation. It was in 1969 ,one afternoon at about 2.30 pm the power went off .I was in the grid-Balangoda at that time and staff were talking things in favour of strike.
When I got to know that the workmen too wanted to join the strike, I called all inmates to handover keys of substation control room and gates before they walk out. I had gusts to tell them as I was the only person who went against labour actions. The workmen left the substation and I waited inside until power supply restored around evening but with the dark. The workmen returned to their respective work places and I left for home.

Later,I came to know that the strike led by the Engineers of the DGEU with the collaboration of the other trade unions.
I could gather lot of information with respect to labour action by the unions only in the following evening because all the communications from and to were inoperative at that time and I did not know to whom I should contact etc.

It was understood that the labour action by the trade unions was successful and that they got some of the most important issues sorted out like.

1. Salary issue
2. Pension issue for those who completed 8 years in the DGEU
3. Medical Issues
4. To enjoy leave as in the Govt.Services.
5. etc etc

MoneyMakingMethods

Post of ES Construction

When I assumed duties as EF in Balangoda area, there were two depots and were maintained as Balangoda and Kahawatte with a very big area like Balangoda,Pelmadulla and Kahawatte. It went upto Uda walave but in between Madampe and UdaWalave there was no power to the in between areas.

However, Madampe and Rakwana were electrified and ran under local bodies. We only maintained HT(33 kV) lines and substations.

Kahawatte area

This area was under a Minor Supervisor's control since there was no Foreman.

Balangoda Area

This place was under a EF (temp) who happened to be drunken officer and the EE was not happy with him.

There was a vacancy for the post of EF Construction

This place was filled by me and put directly under EE and was asked to look after the work of EF Balangoda due to absence of EF Balangoda.


RE Project 50

This was the time that 50 RE projects in progress and about 5 of such were in Balangoda area. Pinnawala RE scheme came under this project and that was my first construction job.


I did not know anything about RE Schemes nor about materials and layouts. The EE took me to the site once together with Linesman for pegging and I had to record pegging out details with the way the EE advised.

It was similar to the way we used to record level readings in a field book which we did for JTO.
The estimate then made with some calculations to sum up items to use with a template in a old file.
When Items to draw for the execution of the Job only I managed to identify them as the items were under a Store keeper.

Powerline Maintenance

Power line maintenance involve several aspects of looking at it and are summarised as follows.

1. Line patrol
2. Replacing of cracked insulators
3. Wayleave clearing
4. Replace other damaged items of the line

Out of all above first criteria plays very important part in the pre maintenance plan. The line patrol , if properly done, will realise what the maintenance gangs should plan out work. It tells the superintendent where and what extent of damage to the power line and how urgent its remedial actions.

It also suggests the dangerous vegetation that affects the line . So the maintenance crew can plan out interruptions, if necessary , to repair damage, clear wayleave and other work. This also suggests use of interruptions for connection of new power lines to the existing lines.