CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) has constituted a special team to identify and assess the condition of underground cables. Electricity minister V Senthil Balaji told TNIE, “The team will conduct a comprehensive inspection across all 15 zones of the corporation.”
“A few years ago, underground cables were laid across 3,447 km in Chennai and we suspect some of these cables may have suffered damage or reached the end of their operational life. We have decided to examine all underground cable lines in the city,” he said.
Inspection of all underground cables in the city will take about two years. But, as soon as inspection in an area is complete, Tangedco will prioritise necessary work. Work in some areas will be undertaken before next summer, ensuring the resolution of approximately 50% of the damaged and outdated cables, the minister added.
A senior official said, “This initiative follows our experiences in certain areas, including Ambattur and its surroundings, where frequent power cuts occurred due to issues with underground cables this summer.”
To mitigate power outages resulting from conductor failures and to establish a secure distribution network, Tangedco has decided to convert the existing overhead lines (OH) to UG cables in and around Chennai. Financial support will be provided by the Power Finance Corporation, a funding agency. The conversion process has already commenced in 12 divisions, said the official.
Another official said, to ensure uninterrupted power supply during natural disasters, the conversion of overhead lines to underground cables is underway from Parson Veli to Ooty in the Nilgiris district, spanning a length of 13.125 km, at an estimated cost of Rs 6.61 crore.
Conversion of overhead lines to underground cables has also been initiated in temple car streets, such as Thiyagaraja Temple in Thiruvarur, Andal Temple in Srivilliputhur, and Thanumalayan Temple in Suchindram. Steps are being taken to expedite these projects the official added.