CHENNAI: With the onset of the northeast monsoon, the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) has stepped up its preparedness measures across the state, focusing on manpower deployment and infrastructure upgrades to minimise rain-related power disruptions.
Around 300 engineers and 2,200 field staff have been deployed to address monsoon-related issues in Chennai and its suburbs. The power utility has also formed 40 teams to attend to complaints and ensure the timely restoration of power supply, officials said.
To strengthen its workforce, the power utility has approved the recruitment of contract workers in Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram regions, a senior TNPDCL official told TNIE. Around 2,600 contract staff have started work in the past 15 days in those districts. After training, they have been deployed on night patrols to ensure that power faults are attended to and rectified promptly, the official said.
In addition, approval has been given to superintending engineers to engage contract workers statewide based on local requirements during the monsoon, another official said. The move is aimed at improving the availability of personnel to attend to power-related complaints and carry out repair work during heavy rainfall.
An official said, “We have been raising pillar boxes in low-lying areas to prevent rainwater from affecting power supply. Around 1,500 pillar boxes have been identified across Chennai, and 80% of the work has been completed.”
As part of its efforts to improve the reliability of power supply, the utility has also identified around 1,600 transformers that have been in service for over two decades. Since replacing all of them at once is not feasible, the work will be carried out in phases, the official added.
TNPDCL is also addressing the shortage of vehicles used to attend to complaints. The official said 55 of the 97 vehicles, earlier deployed to attend to complaints, have fallen into disrepair and plan is on to replace them by the end of October.