Chennai, Sept 19:
Recent power disruptions in several parts of Chennai were caused by damage to underground cables and the overloading of an alternative substation, and not by an overall shortage of electricity, Electricity Resources Minister R Nirmalkumar said on Friday.
Speaking after a review meeting at the TNEB headquarters, the Minister said repair work undertaken by BSNL near the RK Nagar Stand area had damaged a major underground power line. Electricity supply was subsequently restored through an alternative line from the Stanley substation.
However, the additional load on the alternative arrangement resulted in equipment overheating and catching fire, leading to further interruptions. The Minister said the electricity utility had decided to lodge a police complaint against BSNL over the cable damage.
Nirmalkumar said government agencies, local bodies, contractors, BSNL and private cable-laying companies would be instructed to coordinate with the electricity utility before carrying out excavation work. He said damage caused by one agency should not result in prolonged inconvenience to thousands of consumers.
The Minister also said Tamil Nadu was purchasing additional power from outside sources to meet demand. A decline in wind power generation earlier than usual had contributed to a shortfall, he said, adding that arrangements had been made to meet the requirement from October 1 through power purchase agreements.
Meanwhile, complaints to Minnagam, the electricity consumer grievance centre, have increased sharply. According to the Minister, a zone that received around 6,000 calls during the corresponding period last year was now receiving between 10,000 and 15,000 calls.
A new customer management system is also being developed to allow consumers to track complaints, new service connections and pending applications at different levels. The system is expected to be introduced within two months, according to the Minister.
The Minister also said steps were being taken to improve coordination during excavation works so that accidental cable damage could be prevented and interruptions reduced.