Cyclone Michaung: Tangedco seeks Rs 700 cr to protect infra from floods

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) has estimated that it would require Rs 700 crore to take up measures to prevent its distribution infrastructures like substations, RMUs, and pillar boxes from getting flooded and damages suffered during cyclone Michaung.

According to sources in Tangedco, it has submitted a memorandum to the central inspection team seeking funds of Rs 700 crore including Rs 66 crore for the damages caused to the distribution infrastructures including 1800 poles and 230 transformers.

The residents of several localities resorted to protest over the delay in restoring the power supply.

Tangedco officials attributed the delay to the inundation of its distribution infrastructure including its substation, distribution transformers, RMUs, and pillar boxes.

Tangedco sources said that it plans to increase the height of 19 substations in low-lying areas to avoid flooding in the future.

Some of the substations remained inaccessible for days due to severe flooding.

Substations at KITS Park, Siruseri, Perumbakkam, Tidel Park, Nungambakkam, Mylapore, Royapuram, Korattur, Manali and Gummidipoondi were affected due to inundation earlier this month.

Sources added that it plans to increase the height of the RMUs across the city to ensure it remain safe from the flooding.

"We have already increased the height of the pillar boxes in the low-lying areas by one meter. In the Cyclone Michaung flood, we have identified some new areas to increase the pillar boxes and RMUs height," sources said.

There are plans to move some of the transmission towers located on the water bodies to inland areas to ensure faster access during the restoration works.

The towers located on Kosasthalaiyar were not accessible during the flood situation, officials noted.