Restoration of power connection in cyclone-ravaged areas in Puri, Khordha, Nayagarh, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Cuttack has been expedited following coordinated work between the Centre and the State.
Union Secretary of Energy and Telecommunications Ajoy Kumar Bhalla had a review meeting today with Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi at the State Secretariat where a decision was taken to expedite the process of restoration further by joint efforts.
Bhalla praised the steps taken by the State government to restore power connection in the cyclone-hit areas in coordination with the Centre and the neighbouring States.
It was revealed during the review that power infrastructure in all six districts ravaged by cyclone Fani has suffered the most with 31 grids, 75 220-KV towers and 40 132-KV towers having been totally destroyed.
Similarly, in the transmission and distribution sector 441 33/11 KV sub-stations, 1859 high-power feeders and 66,032 transformers have been fully destroyed.
Besides, there is need of 2, 19, 405 new poles, it was revealed during the review.
It was also revealed that 26.36 lakh energy consumers in the extremely affected districts and 18.38 lakh consumers in the severely affected districts have been affected.
These consumers come under the power distribution companies CESU, NESCO and SOUTHCO.
Out of the affected consumers, 17,05,695 cobnsumers of the CESU, 14,68,447 consumers of the NESCO and 6,45,078 consumers of the SOUTHCO have been provided connection. The total number of consumers who have been restored power is 38,19,220.
While energy consumption under t5he CESU was 1300 mega watt before cyclone, post cyclone consumption from zero has gone up to 900 MW. Similarly, in Cuttack it is 100 MG from zero in Cuttack against 140 MG and in Bhubaneswar consumption has gone up from zero to 140 post cyclone against 250 MW in normal conditions which prevailed before the cyclone.
The Cuttack-Bhubaneswar circuit is coming back to normal fast while work is underway on war footing to activate the two circuits in Puri.
In order to expedite the process, more skilled workers are being deployed in power restoration work while
They are being paid wage with a 50pc increase. Fooding charges of workmen have also been increased to Rs. 150.
Besides, procurement of more electrical implement, poles and transformers is being expedited. For safe lodging, cooking and health facilities, camps have been pitched for workmen and gangmen.Stepos have also been taken to bring 400 gangs from Andhra, Telengana, Bihar and West Bengal. Central and State organizations are working at tandem to accelerate the process of power restoration.