Power cuts are never welcome, and during a lockdown when the whole family is parked at home through the day, they would be doubly unwelcome. Residents of many areas are now faced with frequent power cuts.
Residents of Ambattur and Mogappair have been complaining of frequent power cuts over the last three months, and Tangedco officials attribute it to a spike in power consumption from the existing transformers in the respective neighbourhoods. As more number of people are working from home, these transformers have come under a heavy load. Sudden rains also added to power interruptions in some areas.
Residents of GNT Colony along the railway station in Ambattur have been facing frequent power outages since the lockdown began. The existing transformer on Station Border Road, near the railway station, was installed nearly a decade ago to cater to the power needs of a few dozen houses along the stretch. Since then, a good number of residential constructions, especially multi-storey apartment complexes, have come up in the vicinity of the transformer. And existing transformer has not been replaced with a modern compact transformer despite residents making repeated requests to Tangedco.
“An additional transformer or upgrading the existing transformer in the neighbourhood will prevent such power cuts and save electrical equipment in the houses,” says T. Gunaseelan, a long-time resident of Ambattur.
With lockdown restrictions being eased, a few small-scale industrial units in the neighbourhood have started their operations and this has resulted in an increase in power consumption from the common transformer. School students have also started attending online classes and the cuts disrupt classes.
In some areas, unscheduled power cuts are being experienced for two to three hours every day, mostly during night.
Residents say text messages are sent only for scheduled power cuts announced by the Tangedco but only an hour before the cut happens.
At Mogappair too, residents want Tangedco to have the existing transformer in the neighbourhood replaced to prevent power fluctuations and cuts. ,
“Due to a reduction in the number of staff working mainly to attend emergencies, replacement of transformers in these neighbourhoods will take some time. However, steps will be taken to prevent such power outages especially during night,” says a Tangedco official.
