TIRUPATTUR: The residents and commercial establishments in Yelagiri Hills were hit by prolonged power outages over the last two days, disrupting daily life and affecting the hospitality sector ahead of the ‘Kodai Vizha’ summer event.
Power supply was cut around 9 am on July 15 and restored only around 11.30 pm. On July 16, electricity went off again around 6.30 am, resumed by noon, and was interrupted again later.
“For the past 2-3 days, power has been going off for around 11-12 hours at a stretch. Early morning, when we are getting ready for work or preparing children for school, the power goes off. Our entire routine, from taking a bath to preparing food, is affected,” said Arun Pandian, a tribal resident. He added that the lack of prior intimation has made it impossible for residents to plan ahead.
Hotel owners said the outages have begun affecting tourism. Christuraj Antony, secretary of the Yelagiri Hills Hotels Association, said frequent power cuts have persisted for the past three to four months, with electricity often going off at night and returning only by morning. Recalling a recent official visit, he said some guests checked out early due to the interruptions. “Big hotels can probably survive on generators, but small hotels cannot afford generators for just two or three rooms,” he said.
Sikkanthar N, manager of AGS Holiday Resorts, said even generators offered only limited relief. “Generators can provide backup for only about six hours. How do we manage when power is unavailable for 11 hours? How do we provide hot water to guests?” he asked, adding that procuring diesel was difficult as there is only one fuel station in the hills.
Resident D Lourduraj said people have been demanding a dedicated substation for Yelagiri for nearly a decade. “Government approval was obtained, but the substation has still not been established,” he said.
In a press release issued on Thursday, Tangedco said a 16-MVA power transformer at the 110-kV substation in Perumalpettai, Vaniyambadi, developed an unexpected fault on the morning of July 15. As a result, power was supplied on a rotational basis to consumers in Vaniyambadi, Yelagiri and surrounding villages through nearby substations.
A Tangedco official in charge of Yelagiri said a team from Chennai worked for nearly 48 hours to rectify the fault. “The issue has been resolved and power was fully restored around 1.30 pm on Friday,” the official said, adding that backup supply arrangements have been made through the Vaniyambadi and Jolarpet substations ahead of the ‘Kodai Vizha’ festival. Another official from the Tirupattur distribution circle said work on the proposed Yelagiri substation is under way and will be completed soon.
