CHENNAI: Despite Tangedco’s repeated assurances, consumers, especially those in rural areas, are currently experiencing frequent power outages. In a few areas like Ambattur in Chennai, the residents have endured night-long power cut, resulting in sleepless hours. The power was only restored the following morning.
Similarly, a few power-cut issues have been reported by residents in South Chennai and its surrounding areas over the past few weeks. K Subbaraman, a 72-year-old resident of Medavakkam, expressed the detrimental effects of frequent power fluctuations during the daytime, causing severe damage to electrical appliances, including air conditioners.
Addressing concerns, Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji acknowledged a few isolated issues in five or six locations. He said, “Tangedco is well-equipped to handle technical problems such as power fluctuations and cable faults.”
Following the review meeting held at the headquarters of Tangedco in Chennai, Electricity Minister Senthil Balaji said on Wednesday, “There has been a notable surge in power demand over the past couple of years, rising from 16,481 MW to 19,387 MW”.
Minister Balaji further shared that the state’s power consumption during the peak summer months this year has reached a staggering 423 million units, setting a new record. Remarkably, the power supply has been continuous and uninterrupted.
He attributed this accomplishment to the precautionary measures taken and the efficient management of the surging power demand. Speaking specifically about Chennai, Minister Balaji said, "The power demand in the city reached 4,016 MW on Tuesday, while the consumption stood at 90 million units. Over the past two years, the power utility has undergone significant infrastructure enhancements, including the reinforcement of substations, transformers, and the planned replacement of outdated underground (UG) cables with new ones."