The long-time practice of resorting to power shutdowns by Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) for maintenance work has received flak from the consumers.
In order to carry out repair and maintenance work, Tangedco suspends power supply in selective areas on a rotation basis. It generally chooses Saturdays to suspend power supply. The practice that began about 20 years ago still continues. The functioning of transformers, power supply lines and electric poles are the works checked by Tangedco workers on days of general maintenance. Similarly, it carries out maintenance work in the concerned sub-station, High Tension lines and line tree clearance. As per the standard practice it suspends power supply between 9 am and 5 pm in the notified areas..
Tangedco issues press releases about the suspension of power supply. It also comes out with notifications on mobile phones of consumers.
However, the practice of bringing many areas of the city under the no power supply mode has not gone well among the consumers. Thousands of consumers go powerless for almost the entire day if a power shutdown is implemented in a sub-station limit. On several occasions, Tangedco officials take more time than the announced period in resuming power supply.
Pointing out the advancement in operation and maintenance, back-feeding technology and double feeding technology, a section of consumers say Tangedco should not persist with the long-time practice of suspending power supply in view of monthly maintenance.
“We go powerless for about eight hours on the days of shut down. It is not correct to suspend power supply in areas where there is hardly any maintenance work,” says M. Kumar, a domestic consumer in Srirangam.
“There are options to ensure power supply by sourcing power from other feeders when maintenance work is taken up in a sub-station. The available options must be explored by taking into account various aspects,” says S. Ramakrishnan, a retired Tangedco official.
The duration of power shutdown could certainly be brought down by sourcing more workers. If the duration of power shutdown was reduced, the revenue of Tangedco could also be increased proportionately, he adds.
But sources in Tangedco maintain that acute shortage of manpower does not allow them to reduce the duration of a shutdown. “Two workers execute tasks that generally require 10 workers. In such a scenario, how do we reduce the duration of power shutdown?” an official says.
