Rains damage ₹84 lakh worth power network under Visakhapatnam’s EPDCL limits

Nearly 200 members of 18 special teams have been deployed in the affected areas with machines to rectify the power problem.

The last few days have been spelled with heavy rains with gusty winds (maximum speed of 50 kmph), under the influence of a ‘depression’ in the Bay of Bengal along north coastal Andhra Pradesh and south coastal Odisha, which has damaged electricity networks, worth ₹84 lakh, and disrupted the power supply to nearly 50,000 electricity connections across 140 villages of 24 mandals in five operational circles of the Visakhapatnam-based Eastern Power Distribution Company of AP Limited (EPDCL).

“As of date, approximately ₹83.34 lakh worth of damage occurred to our EPDCL’s electricity network in its five operational circles due to recent heavy rains and floods from July 18. All our staff in the affected areas have been engaged in power restoration works round-the-clock. More than 90 % of the power supply has been restored so far. The rains mostly affected the power supply in Eluru and Vizianagaram operational circles,” EPDCL Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) Prudhvitej Immadi told The Hindu on July 21.

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Nearly 200 members of 18 special teams have been deployed in the affected areas with machines to rectify the power problem.

Three 33/11kv substations at Kukunuru, Velairpadu and Rajeevnagaram were affected in Eluru circle while only one was at Maredumilli in Rajahmundry circle. A total of 17 number of 33kv feeders were affected including five in Vizianagaram, nine in Visakhapatnam, only one each in Rajahmundry and Eluru circles. A total of 26 number of 33KV poles were affected. A total of 68 number of 11KV feeders were affected including one in Srikakulam, eight in Vizianagaram, eight in Visakhapatnam, three in Rajahmundry and 48 in Eluru. A total of 355 11kv poles were affected, and 41 of them are under restoration and the officials could not complete them as there was heavy rain on July 21 too.

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A total of 137 distribution transformers were affected, and eight of them are under repair as on Sunday. A total of 300 LT poles were damaged, including 115 in Eluru. About 6 km long 11KV lines were damaged, of which 4 km lines were in Eluru circle only. Around 4 km of LT lines were damaged in total EPDCL limits.