CHENNAI: For three months since the imposition of COVID-19 lockdown, there was one definite relief. Power cuts disappeared.
But now Chennai residents will have to prepare for them all over again.
The Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd (Tangedco) has decided to resume load shedding at regular intervals to carry out urgent maintenance works.
"In view of the lockdown imposed since March 21, load shedding has not been taken in most parts of the city as most people stay within their houses. Now load shedding is permitted for the shortest period of time to carry out certain emergency maintenance works," said a senior official from Tangedco.
The load shedding was carried out periodically and generally on those days the power supply was cut between 9 am to 5 pm. Every household faced such power cuts once in 30 to 45 days.
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Now the officials are planning to restrict such cuts to between 9 am and 2 pm.
"Barring a few repair works on transformers and distribution networks, we have not sanctioned suspending the power supply during lockdown period. But again the load shedding had to be taken up for essential works. The revised load shedding is permitted between 9 am and 2 am or (for a duration) less than that (time) period in areas where the maintenance work has to be carried out immediately," said the official.
On July 14, power supply will be suspended between 9 am and 2 pm in Madambakkam area which includes Kovilanchery, Agaramthen village, Agaram main road, Guduvanchery, Kurunchi nagar, Rakesh Sharma Nagar and Victoria farm, said the statement from Tangedco.
R Kannan, a resident of Korattur, said, "Power cuts will have a huge impact on the public water distribution system in the City and outskirts. The filling of water tanks at houses will also get affected. Tangedco should engage more people for maintenance and reduce the duration of outage."
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