Facing public fury over power cuts, TN government plans Rs 2,275-crore infrastructure upgrade

CHENNAI: Seeking a long-term solution to recurring power disruptions, the Tamil Nadu government has drawn up a Rs 2,275-crore plan to strengthen power distribution infrastructure in Chennai.

Across the state, work is under way on 121 new and upgraded substations at a cost of Rs 10,109 crore, while another 231 substations have been proposed with an estimated investment of Rs 15,032 crore, said the official release issued after a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay at the Secretariat on Tuesday.

The chief minister reviewed power generation, demand, distribution and infrastructure development activities being undertaken by the energy department and subsidiary companies of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB).

The official release said that even though the state does not face any electricity shortage, intermittent outages continue to be reported in parts of Chennai and other urban areas owing to ageing electrical equipment, underground cable faults, rising power consumption, maintenance works and accidental damage to power cables during road excavation by various service agencies.

To improve consumer services and ensure faster restoration of supply, the government has operationalised 77 additional Fuse-Off Call centres, seven new fault-repair teams, 125 power restoration vehicles, 10 high-level monitoring teams and two underground cable fault detection teams.

Consumer complaints are being monitored round the clock through the Minnagam service centre (9498794987), which is call-based, and social media platforms, with immediate action being taken. A WhatsApp-based complaint management system is also set to be integrated shortly.

During the meeting, Vijay directed officials to ensure prompt action on power-related complaints and ordered the recruitment of 15,058 electricity workers required for maintenance and restoration works. He also instructed departments to expedite the procurement of electrical materials and strengthen field-level monitoring.

For Chennai, the chief minister directed that the existing 125 patrol teams be deployed on continuous rounds and respond swiftly to complaints. The teams have been instructed to visit affected locations immediately, rectify faults without delay and ensure uninterrupted power supply to consumers.

Emphasising the need for efficient functioning of TNEB and its subsidiaries, Vijay said every effort should be made to provide reliable and uninterrupted electricity services to the public.

Energy and Law minister R Nirmalkumar, chief secretary M Saikumar, TNEB chairman J Radhakrishnan, Finance, additional chief secretary MA Siddique, and senior government officials attended the meeting.