The footpaths in the city will very soon be freed of at least one of the many hindrances the pedestrians face once the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) completes the modernisation of the old transformers.
Small compact transformers will soon take the place of the monster grids that residents are at present used to.
Tangedco has proposed to replace many of the old distribution transformers of 11-kilo volt (KV) with Ring Main Units (RMUs) that are compact and safe. The distribution transformers, which are mostly located on footpaths, occupy a lot of space and also pose a risk to the public when there is a sudden power surge that causes sparks. A Tangedco official, explaining the benefits of installing the RMUs, said the efficiency of the distribution network would be improved and transformer faults would be minimised. Also, these RMUs on becoming operational will be linked to the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) centre so that their operation can be regularly monitored. When there is a surge, the RMU will automatically trip, and will have to be reset. This would make them safer than current systems, the official added.
He added that a total of 3,283 RMUs — of which the city’s share would be 1,784 — have been proposed to be installed in the State under the Centre-assisted Restructure Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (RAPDRP).
However, residents are complaining that the installation work has been progressing at a slow place in many places and in some, the work has been completely stopped. Mohan, a resident of Sundaram Street, Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, said authorities had left a new unit uninstalled, to rust for more than a year.
A local official in north Chennai faulted the contractors for the slow pace of work.
