CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (TNPDCL) has directed its field officials to speed up pending maintenance works and complete them by September 30 ahead of the northeast monsoon.

In a memo issued on September 16, the utility said several maintenance works were progressing at a slower pace and needed to be expedited. The works include replacement of aged conductors, strengthening of conductors, rectification of damaged pillars, and replacement of damaged high-tension (HT) and low-tension (LT) poles.

The directive follows a review meeting on northeast monsoon preparedness and flood mitigation works chaired by Chief Secretary M Sai Kumar at the Secretariat on September 1.

The corporation has also directed officials to expedite pillar-heightening works identified by the utility and immediately prune trees near substations and distribution transformers. Tree branches near substations, distribution transformers, and power lines have to be cleared as part of the monsoon preparedness measures.

The utility has asked chief engineers and superintending engineers to take urgent measures to ensure completion of all pending works by September 30. The objective is to maintain uninterrupted power supply and prevent electrical accidents during the monsoon, it stressed.

The memo also warned that the executive engineer and assistant executive engineer concerned would be held responsible in case of electrocution accidents. Chief engineers and superintending engineers have been instructed to ensure compliance and put in place necessary safety measures.