Power supply may take another 5 days

VISAKHAPATNAM: The work on restoring power supply in the cyclone-battered north coastal districts is in full swing, and officials have successfully recharged three of the eight 220 KV sub-stations in the region. However, the electricity will reach consumers only after four or five days due to severely damaged power supply lines and water-logging.

'We will be able to supply power to 50,000-60,000 consumers within the next two days. But complete restoration including erection of poles, connecting them through wiring and streamlining would take four or five days.

We know people want electricity but we cannot take risk by restoring supply in a haphazard manner and put lives at risk. We urge people to cooperate with us,' Ajay Jain, principal secretary (energy) told reporters.

Power supply will be restored to the steel plant and the airport by Thursday morning. Preliminary estimation has indicated a loss of Rs 1,000 crore to the energy department in the three north coastal districts where the Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited (EPDCL) has suffered a loss of Rs 700 crore in infrastructure and equipment.

The APTransco has suffered damages amounting to Rs 300 crore. Nearly 70 per cent of the losses were in Visakhapatnam. While about 20,000 poles were severely damaged, 4,000 transformers need replacement.

Officials said they had already procured 25 per cent of the equipment in anticipation of the cyclone and placed orders for additional poles and transformers which are being supplied on a daily basis in a phased manner.

More than three days after the cyclone has destroyed the power supply system in the north coastal Andhra, officials made progress in recharging the 440 KV sub-stations at Kalapaka and Gajuwaka.

Over the last three days, the 220 KV sub-stations at Simhadri, Gajuwaka and Nakkavanipalem were brought to life. The power supply to water pumping stations at Simhachalam, Padmanabhapuram and Narava has been restored in a phased manner enabling the municipal officials to supply drinking water.

Efforts are on to restore power supply to Vizianagaram and Srikakulam by replacing four damaged towers to connect the 220 KV sub-stations at Pendurthy and Garividi to Vizianagaram.

Earlier, Power Grid Corporation of India chairman Nayak said power supply was brought up to Gajuwaka apart from restoring power supply to Duvvada and Simhachalam railway stations for smooth running of trains. 'Our objective is to restore power supply at 220 KV stations of Pendurthy and Garividi in the next two days which would enable us to reach Vizianagaram and Srikakulam in subsequent days,' he said.

NTPC's Simhadri power plant will resume operations at one of the four 500 MW generation units on Thursday which would provide additional power.

Plan for underground power lines in Vizag

Call it a pure coincidence or just an afterthought. The state government has prepared proposals for laying underground electric cables in Visakhapatnam which is to be made a smart city.

Interestingly, the proposals had been sent to the World Bank for externally-aided funding amounting to Rs 500 crore on October 6, just a week before the cyclone Hudhud destroyed the infrastructure.

'The proposal has been pending with the government for some time but gained momentum immediately after the Centre has evinced interest in developing it into a smart city.

The government felt that to be a smart city, particularly a coastal smart city, Vizag cannot afford to have surface cabling where the electric wires dangle in the air posing a threat to people,' said Ajay Jain, principal secretary (energy). If approved, laying of power lines underground will be completed in four years.