Advance planning helped APEPDCL to restore power in 18 days

Visakhapatnam, Nov 6: In the aftermath of Hudhud, at least 10,000 men worked 24/7 for 18 days to restore power supply to the three districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, and Srikakulam. The three districts have a consumer base of 23 lakh. At least 250 trucks and an equal number of mobile cranes were used in the massive operation in addition to other heavy equipment. Commenting on the extent of damage caused to the north coastal region's power sector by Cyclon Hudhud, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited (APEPDCL) M.V. Seshagari Babu said his organisation has gone back by at least 30 years. He said it was no mean task to erect over 40,000 electric poles and 80 HT and LT towers and then connecting 132 kv substations to hundreds of 33 and 11 kv feeders in a span of 18 days. He, however, said there was elaborate planning behind this task. Advance homework had saved day for APEPDCL, he said.