Chennai: In a relief to power consumers, Tangedco has allowed cyclone-hit consumers in Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts whose last date for payment of electricity bill falls after December 12, to pay their bills till December 31 with out any penalties.
After reviewing the progress of electricity restoration works at the Tangedco headquarters here on Monday, electricity minister P. Thangamani said that relaxation for electricity bill payment was made as per the order of the chief minister.
The electricity infrastructure in the city and its suburbs suffered severe damage in cyclone Vardah leading to a blackout on Monday and Tuesday. However, the power supply was gradually restored in the city from Tuesday evening. The minister stated that the power supply has been fully restored in the city and in municipality and town panchayats in the suburbs. “In the rural areas, 90 per cent work to restore power supply in small villages is completed. The areas that do not have power will get supply in two days time,” he said.
The power infrastructure was severely damaged with trees falling on overhead lines, transformers and pillar-boxes. In the cyclone, as many as 29,907 poles and 15,000 km long conductors were damaged. Besides, 670 distribution transformers and 4500 pillar boxes were also damaged.
“The works to restore power supply were underway on war footing with 14,700 workers including workers from Andhra Pradesh. To replace the damaged poles, we have distributed adequate number of poles to all the affected areas. Till December 18, about 15,000 poles and 370 transformers were replaced. Works are underway to replace the remaining damaged poles for the agricultural connection,” he said.
Mr Thangamani said that there was difficulty to transmit power from the generating stations to the city and its suburbs due to uprooting of the 54 high-tension towers that transfer power in 17 corridors.
“Till date, 21 damaged towers were restored in the important transmission corridors. The works to restore the towers will be completed in two days, after which full power supply will restored in Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts,” he said.
