TANGEDCO has suffered huge loss: Electricity Minister

He says as many as 84,836 electric poles were damaged in districts affected by Gaja

Workers of the Electricity Board restoring an uprooted electric post that fell down under the impact of Cyclone Gaja on the Nagapatinam main road.

The TANGEDCO has suffered a loss of ₹1,000 crore till now as per the assessment done after the Gaja cyclone, Electricity Minister P. Thangamani said on Sunday.

The assessment with regard to the damage caused to the TANGEDCO in the wake of the cyclone was yet to conclude, he told reporters at Pudukottai after holding discussions regarding measures to be taken to expedite restoration of power supply in Pudukottai district.

Explaining the extent of damage in the power sector, Mr. Thangamani said as many as 84,836 electric poles had got damaged in various districts in the State affected by the cyclone. A total number of 841 transformers and 201 substations had also got damaged due to Gaja, he added.

Stating that Pudukottai district had suffered huge damages due to the cyclone, Mr. Thangamani said 1,000 electricity employees from Andhra Pradesh would reach Pudukottai on Monday to aid in the power supply restoration works. In addition to this, 1,000 electricity employees from other districts would also work in Pudukottai, he said adding that power supply would be restored step-by-step in urban and rural areas.

Works in rural areas were being taken up only after clearing the uprooted trees. Electricity would be restored on a war - footing to the affected districts, he further said.

In the meantime, water supply would be provided to the rural areas using generators. Stating that the State government was well aware of the extent of damage caused by the cyclone, Mr. Thangamani said the Chief Minister had made it clear that funds would not be a constraint in carrying out relief works.

Ahead of the Gaja cyclone, the TANGEDCO had stocked adequate number of electricity poles in the delta districts. Works were apace in restoring power supply in the delta districts.

Three Ministers had been deputed to Pudukottai to oversee and monitor the pace of relief works, Mr. Thangamani said.

Health Minister C. Vijaya Baskar said assessment of the number of damaged houses and other cyclone related damages were being done in Pudukottai district. Due compensation would be given to all those affected by the cyclone, he said.