CHENNAI: Electricity Minister CTR Nirmal Kumar on Monday inaugurated 82 new fuse-off call (FOC) centres and 12 high-voltage underground cable fault detection teams in Chennai.
After the inauguration, the minister told reporters that the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) had made special arrangements across eight electricity distribution circles — Chennai North, Central, West, South, Adyar, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and Tiruvallur — to address power disruptions and restore supply at the earliest.
In addition to the 70 FOC centres already functioning in these circles, 82 new centres have been established, taking the total to 152. These vehicles have been hired on a contractual basis to attend to complaints and carry out repair work. The department has also sanctioned 608 personnel, with four staff members assigned to each centre, he said.
The 12 additional teams will detect faults in high-voltage underground cables in Chennai and its suburbs to facilitate faster repairs. A total of 36 personnel, including engineers, have been deployed, along with vehicles hired on contract.
On the restoration works at landslide-affected areas in Coimbatore and the Nilgiris, Nirmal Kumar said he would visit Coimbatore on Tuesday to review the situation. “Relief and restoration works are being carried out on a war footing, with priority given to public safety and restoring normalcy in affected areas,” he said.
On reports that Rajasthan had purchased electricity at Rs 46 per unit, Nirmal Kumar said the Union Ministry of Power should improve national-level demand forecasting and resource planning to help states prepare for shortages.
Tamil Nadu, which receives around 14,000 MW from the central power pool, needs reliable information on power availability across states to plan procurement, he said.
Warning that a stronger El Nino effect could raise temperatures and power demand next year, he urged the centre to forecast national demand in advance and prevent costly emergency purchases.
