Rain Damages Power Infra Worth Rs 2.51 Crore
He directed officials to restore all remaining general power outages as soon as possible, while efforts were also under way to reconnect agricultural services
Visakhapatnam:Heavy rain and strong winds damaged electricity infrastructure across north coastal Andhra Pradesh, with preliminary losses estimated at Rs 251.33 lakh, APEPDCL chairman and managing director Imadi Prithviraj said on Thursday.
APEPDCL has restored power supply to most affected consumers.
Prithviraj said preparations had been made from September 22 and field staff began restoration work soon after the cyclone made landfall. Additional personnel, vehicles, cranes, pole-drilling machines, electric poles and distribution transformers had been kept ready in anticipation of the cyclone.
According to data available at 5 pm on Thursday, 122 of the 127 affected 33/11 kV substations and 99 of the 111 damaged 33 kV feeders had been restored. Restoration was also completed for 481 of the 536 affected 11 kV feeders, 218 of the 471 damaged 11 kV poles, 218 of the 461 damaged LT poles and 119 of the 195 damaged distribution transformers.
The rains affected 1,468 villages, with power restored in 1,238. Of the 8,87,757 disrupted electricity connections, 8,30,679 had been restored. These included 7,89,212 of the 8,37,559 affected non-agricultural connections and 41,467 of the 50,198 affected agricultural connections.
Srikakulam district suffered the most extensive damage, with 96 substations, 55 33 kV feeders, 409 11 kV feeders, 115 11 kV poles, 149 LT poles and 27 distribution transformers affected. Power supply was disrupted in 962 villages.
For restoration work in Srikakulam, APEPDCL deployed 745 personnel, 52 vehicles, 22 pole-drilling machines and 35 cranes. It also mobilised 400 electric poles and 246 transformers.
In Vizianagaram district, 29 substations, 28 33 kV feeders, 30 11 kV feeders, 47 11 kV poles, 52 LT poles and 31 distribution transformers were damaged. Power was restored in 297 of the 338 affected villages. The district recorded an estimated infrastructure loss of `35.04 lakh.
Following the CMD’s directions, senior officials, camped in the affected districts. They monitored restoration work and coordinated the deployment of personnel and equipment.
Prithviraj said the control room at the corporate office was continuously reviewing restoration progress and additional resources were being sent to areas where work remained pending.
He directed officials to restore all remaining general power outages as soon as possible, while efforts were also under way to reconnect agricultural services.
Restoration in some areas had been delayed because water remained stagnant around power infrastructure and agricultural fields, posing safety risks. The remaining work would be completed once conditions were safe.
“The officials and staff will continue working until power supply is fully normalised in all affected areas,” the CMD said.