Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister V. Senthil Balaji conducted a review meeting at the TNEB headquarters on Tuesday to assess the state’s preparedness for the northeast monsoon and ensure uninterrupted power supply across flood-prone areas.
One of the key measures discussed was the elevation of pillar boxes to avoid water damage. Out of 6,424 pillar boxes identified for height enhancement, 4,967 have already been completed, and the remaining will be finished by this weekend.
The minister also noted that Minnagam, the centralised electricity complaint call center, received 23,000 complaints in September 2024, mainly related to power outages and low voltage. He instructed officials to strengthen infrastructure and reduce complaint volume during the monsoon season.
Last year, 31 vulnerable zones were marked in South Chennai during the monsoon. The minister has now directed TNEB officials to identify additional high-risk locations in and around Chennai and take preventive action to avoid outages.
According to a release from the Public Relations Department, TNEB carried out a total of 15,93,893 special maintenance works across Tamil Nadu between April and September 2024. Key highlights include:
- 5,983 electricity poles replaced, 3,193 repaired, and 2,604 newly erected in Chennai and Kancheepuram
- 12,034 weak insulators replaced
- 3,314 overhead wires upgraded
- 2,040 pillar boxes repaired
- 534 km of cables thoroughly inspected
These measures form part of a comprehensive approach by the Tamil Nadu government to minimize disruption and improve power resilience during the rainy season.