Hudhud fallout: AP utilities battle odds to start power supply

Andhra Pradesh power utilities are putting efforts to restore power supply which was disrupted due to the devastation caused by cyclonic storm Hudhud in Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts.

Energy Secretary Ajay Jain, continuously reviewing the cyclone relief works with regard to power sector, said the cyclone, gale and wind gushing at around 200 kmph caused severe faults which in turn damaged the sub-station equipment, poles, transformers apart from the transmission and distribution lines in affected areas on the state coastline.

"The restoration/relief operations are in full swing in the cyclone-affected areas," Jain said, adding that two 400 KV sub-stations, ten number of 220 KV sub-stations, 25 number of 132 KV sub-stations were severely hit by the cyclone.

He said that around 20,000 poles were either broken or damaged apart from shutting down of 2,000 MW Simhadri power plant. Jain, along with the senior officers of the Energy department, are put up in State Load Dispatch Centre/Vidyut Soudha here for effective monitoring and are personally supervising the power supply restoration works on minute-wise basis.

Meanwhile, power supply to Simhadri 2,000 MW power plant at Visakhpatnam is restored from Vemagiri 400 KV sub-station. Officials are putting up efforts to arrange alternate supply from different station sources to Visakhapatnam by tonight, the officer said.

"Cyclone has affected power supply in Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram badly and it was partially affected in Srikakulam district. All engineers, employees, are putting all-out efforts without availing any leave/holiday during this period of natural calamity," Jain said.

K Vijayanand, CMD, APTRANSCO and MD, APGENCO who had rushed to Visakhapatnam for looking after the restoration works, has informed that 2,000 personnel consisting of engineers and workers are deployed by APSPDCL to cyclone-hit areas of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam which come under the jurisdiction of APEPDCL.

Meanwhile, the Telangana government has dispatched material worth of Rs 13 crore from here to Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts for restoration of power supply at the earliest. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu governments have also extended the full support to AP government by deploying men and material for restoration operations.

-PTI