CHENNAI: The Managing Director of the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd, J Radhakrishnan, conducted a comprehensive review of the ongoing power distribution initiatives under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), on Wednesday, to set up 133 new 33/11 kV substations at Rs 1,500-crore-plus investment to ensure uninterrupted power supply.

As part of this initiative, 30 new substations are proposed in Chennai and Kancheepuram regions, while 20 existing substations will be upgraded with additional power transformers to mitigate overloading. The project aims to ensure uninterrupted power supply and address persistent issues of voltage fluctuations and unscheduled outages.

Core city localities like Broadway, Pudupet, Mylapore, T Nagar, and Perambur, along with expanded areas like Ambattur and Madhavaram, are expected to witness significant improvement in power reliability over the next year. Suburban regions, including Avadi and Tambaram corporation limits, will also benefit from the infrastructure boost.

Of the total project outlay, Rs 1,320 crore has been allocated for setting up new substations, while Rs 189 crore will be used for augmentation works. Officials from the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) said that tenders for the substations would be floated shortly, with funding support from REC Ltd, the nodal agency for the central scheme.

In a state-level review meeting held on Wednesday, Radhakrishnan evaluated the progress of various RDSS initiatives. Special emphasis was laid on expediting the conversion of overhead lines to underground cabling in Chennai and the delta districts to bolster safety and supply reliability.

Consumer grievance redressal systems, including the Minnagam helpline, social media platforms, and the Centralised Customer Management System (CCMS), also came under review. Officials were directed to ensure timely responses to complaints and strengthen field-level vigilance and supervision.