Hyderabad: As many as 1357 electricity poles have collapsed and 280 transformers have been damaged due to the heavy rains that have been lashing Telangana over the last few days. TGSPDCL chairman and MD Musharraf Faurqui. Medak witnessed the highest disruption with 971 poles getting damaged in the district alone due to the rains in Telangana.
Due to the heavy rains, the Hyderabad-Nagpur National Highway 44 (NH 44) stretch between Kamareddy, Dichpally and Armoor in Telangana has also been affected. The situation was so severe that in Medak district on Thursday, TGSPDCL staff also waded into a river in Rajipet village to repair a feeder and successfully restored the power supply.
The electricity poles and transformers across Telangana have been damaged due to heavy rainfall since the night of August 26 as lakes, ponds, and rivers have been overflowing. According to the TGSPDCL, floodwaters have inundated several 33/11 kv substations, and damaged electric poles have disrupted the power distribution system in many villages.
Chairman and managing director of the Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana limited (TGSPDCL) Musharraf Faruqui stated that the his staff is working relentlessly on a war footing, braving heavy rains and even swimming across rivers to climb electric poles as part of restoration efforts in spite of the heavy rains and floods.
At a teleconference held on Thursday with TGSPDCL chief engineers and superintending engineers, the power supply situation was reviewed, wherein officials reported that Medak district suffered significant damage due to the floods caused by heavy rains in Telangana. “In Medak, water entered several substations, affecting 33 kV feeders – 11, 11 kV feeders – 175, distribution transformers – 262, and electric poles – 971,” said a press release.
At the meeting, TGSPDCL officials said that hundreds of kilometers of power lines/ conductors were also damaged. Apart from Medak, districts such as Nalgonda, Gadwal, Yadadri, Sangareddy, and Narayanpet also reported damages. Overall, across the Discom’s jurisdiction, 39 33 kV feeders, 296 11 kV feeders, 280 distribution transformers, and 1,357 electric poles were damaged due to floods, added the release.
Chief engineer/rural zone Bala Swamy informed the TGSPDCL CMD that damages might increase as floods continue. “Despite the heavy rains and a festival day, the entire power department staff worked tirelessly. In Medak district, power supply was disrupted in 15 villages due to the heavy floods, but the staff’s round-the-clock efforts restored supply in 10 villages by Wednesday night,” said the release.
However, due to damaged roads and ongoing heavy rainfall, supply could not be restored in the remaining villages by night. The TGSPDCL CMD also emphasized that the swift restoration of power supply in a short time was possible due to the staff’s dedicated efforts on a war footing.
