With Hudhud experience, power supply restored in Ron-affected AP in record time

With the sustained efforts of AP power sector officials, co-operation of other key departments and continuous monitoring of the relief and restoration works by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on an hourly basis, the power utilities have achieved 100% restoration of supply on a war-footing in all Ron cyclone-affected areas in AP within a short span of 48 hours. The power utilities were alert in taking precautionary measures and conducted a pole-to-pole survey in all the affected areas, including the remote ones, for quick restoration of power supply. They took up repairs and maintenance works on the damaged poles, lines and distribution transformers round the clock. Disclosing these details, Ajay Jain, Principal Secretary, Energy, I&I Dept, who is camping at Vijayawada and reviewing and monitoring the consumer calls received by 24X7 Emergency cells, said they were successful in power restoration. During the teleconference with K Vijayanand, CMD/APTRANSCO, MD/APGENCO, K Ranganatham, Advisor, Energy, R Mutyala Raju, CMD/APEPDCL, H.Y. Dora, D/APSPDCL, Dinesh Paruchuri, Director/Finance/APTRANSCO, Jain said the AP power utilities were successful in meeting all the eventualities caused due to cyclones. He noted their sincere efforts during HUDHUD cyclone in particular were appreciated countrywide. The AP government, which has learned many lessons from the devastating HUDHUD Cyclone, had instructed all concerned to take up foolproof arrangements for countering the cyclone damage like laying of underground cables, procurement of Emergency Restoration System (ERS) towers and so on for Ron also. Accordingly, at an estimated cost of Rs 600 crore, of which the World Bank was extending Rs 400 crore, laying of around 7,000 km underground cabling is under process in Visakhapatnam city and will be taken up in all major coastal cities soon. This major step will help the DISCOMs not only as a disaster-resistat but also minimizes pilferage, and reduces maintenance work. The power utilities have also procured 2 Nos. of Emergency Restoration tower sets with an investment of around Rs.40 crore, which are kept available in Nellore & Visakhapanam districts, for quick restoration of supply in the event of collapse of EHT towers (Extra High Volatge), and also aids in taking up maintenance works without interruption of power to consumers, Jain said. The CMDs of DISCOMs have informed the Prl. Secretary that they have personally visited many affected substations & lines and monitored the power restoration works. The required emergency material such as transformers, poles, conductor, insulators, tower parts spares, etc. and other equipment necessary for restoration works are kept ready as spares in stores, and these steps have aided in quick restoration of supply. The CMD/EPDCL stated that nearly 16 lakh domestic and agricultural services were effected and power supply was interrupted in around 800 villages and the supply was restored completely by today.