CHENNAI: Officials of Tangedco have raised concern over the unscheduled disruption of power supply during summer across the state. They have attributed the widespread outage to a shortage of crucial materials such as fuse wires, transformers, underground cables and meters.
Talking to TNIE, an official source said, “At present, the state’s power demand has surpassed 19,000 MW owing to soaring heat. In many areas, especially rural regions, people are facing power cuts and voltage fluctuations. We are receiving several complaints regarding transformer problems, fuse wires and other such related issues.”
E Natarajan, state general secretary of BMS (electricity, engineers wing), said, “There has been a severe shortage of cable and other such materials for over six months. Transformers, particularly those with capacities of 250 KVA and 500 KVA, need replacement in some places, but are in short supply. There has been a shortage of 11-KV HT cables of 300 and 120 square meters. Some materials are being reused from faulty transformers, which malfunction and affect supply.”
Although there is an instruction not to reveal the shortage of materials to consumers, officials do not deny that there is scarcity. New service connections have not been provided for the past three months due to a shortage of meters. Additionally, there has been a shortage in the supply of computer-printed billing receipts to be given to consumers on payment at billing counters.
Natarajan said the current scenario is putting significant pressure on officers who work to maintain an uninterrupted power supply, restore services and extend new connections. M Chitra, a 45-year-old resident of Madambakkam in Chennai, said “Our electricity meter has not been functioning for the past six months. Yet, I have been paying an average of Rs 7,200 per billing cycle. Despite lodging multiple complaints, little has been done to replace the meter.”
She had expressed willingness to personally install an electricity meter, bearing the expenses. However, officials had said that there is no provision for such a measure. Chitra has now urged immediate action and to prioritise consumer welfare. A senior official told TNIE, “In recent days, over 1,000 transformers have been replaced across TN. Despite facing a material shortage, we have been managing the situation without major issues.”
At the same time, the official also acknowledged that the power utility is currently struggling due to a lack of meters, resulting in delays in providing new service connections. Necessary materials, including fuse wires, UG cables, and meters, have already been ordered, and efforts are underway to resolve the issue at the earliest.