VIJAYAWADA: Anticipating possible damage to the power infrastructure, the Energy department has deployed necessary men and machinery in coastal districts after instructions from Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Energy Minister K Kala Venkata Rao. Principal Secretary (Energy) Ajay Jain took stock of the situation with officials concerned on Saturday and asked the discoms to take up proactive measures for quick restoration of power supply in case there was any disruption.
They were advised to be on the lookout for possible flashover of insulators, snapping of conductors, swinging of lines and flooding in substations. Jain added that executive engineers, deputy executive engineers and assistant engineers would be put in-charge of 33/11 KV substation, 33 KV line and 11 KV line respectively.
“Previous cyclones, Hudhud and Titli, had caused considerable damage to the State’s power infrastructure. The alert management/emergency response plan prepared after the cyclones should be reviewed and necessary resources may be procured at the earliest to reduce the damage anticipated due to Phethai,” he said. Officials were asked to keep 50,000-70,000 electric poles on standby in case there was a need for replacement.
TRANSCO CMD K Vijayanand suggested the power utilities plan and avoid delay in transportation of materials and equipment to be used for power restoration to core areas; they were also asked to procure generators and dewatering pumps that could be used if the need arose. “We should be prepared to avoid casualties due to electrocution during the cyclone; feeders must be switched off if and when required,” he said. He further directed them to pool up labour force from the districts that would not be affected from the cyclone.