BHUBANESWAR: With cyclone Titli and subsequent flood causing widespread damage to energy infrastructure, power distribution company Southco has put the loss at Rs 125.38 crore in four districts.
Energy infrastructure worth Rs 35.14 crore in Ganjam, Rs 48 crore in Gajapati, Rs 29.3 crore in Rayagada and Rs 1.2 crore in Kandhamal were damaged, the distribution company said in its damage assessment report to the State Government on Tuesday.
The cyclone damaged 130 km long 33 KV lines and 606 km long 11 KV lines. Besides, 1,782 km low tension (LT) line have also been damaged in the four worst affected districts, they said.Extensive damage was reported to electric poles and power supply lines in Gajapati and Ganjam districts. Around 5,000 poles and 880 km LT line were damaged in Gajapati district, Southco officials said.
Similarly, 50 km long 33 KV power cable and 300 km long 11 KV lines in Ganjam district have also been damaged in the storm that hit Odisha coast close to Gopalpur on October 11 morning.According to Southco officials, of the 11.7 lakh electricity consumers in the four districts, around 9.39 lakh consumers were affected due to the cyclone. However, electricity supply has been restored to nearly 8 lakh consumers so far, they said.
On the other hand, sources said the picture continues to remain grim in Gajapati where of the total 1.19 lakh households power supply has been restored to only 30,000 households, mostly due to damaged electricity polls and poor road communication. Likewise, over 15,000 electricity consumers are also to get electricity in affected areas of Aska, Purushotampur and Bhanjanagar.
General Manager, Southco, PK Choudhury said power restoration work is continuing on a war-footing. “Today power supply was restored to 55,000 consumers in all the affected districts, including 25,000 consumers in Gajapati,” Choudhury said, adding, “We have set a deadline of October 20 to restore power supply to all affected consumers in Ganjam, Gajapati and Rayagada.” Restoration of power supply in Kandhamal is on the verge of completion, he added.