Goa power department looks back at Cyclone Tauktae, its biggest challenge in years
Times of India | 4 days ago
Times of India
4 days ago
PANAJI: A year after the devastating cyclone Tauktae slammed into Goa, the state electricity department has revealed that the storm cost it Rs 25 crore. Usually, the monsoon sees around 400 electricity poles getting damaged during an entire season, but the impact of Tauktae was such, the cyclone, during its short visit to Goa, brought down 4,000 poles, uprooted 80 distribution transformers, and even two 30m-high 33KV towers, leaving some areas in the dark for four days. So widespread was the damage that the department — during the peak of the second Covid-19 wave — worked overtime, and through contractors, brought in reinforcements from Maharashtra and Karnataka by road, and even from Rajasthan and West Bengal by air, to speed up the work that was piling up for the department. It was the “sheer volume of the work” across the state that delayed the restoration of power supply, then chief electrical engineer Raghuvir Keni said, adding that at least 50% of the thousands of trees and branches that fell impacted Goa’s distribution lines. “Covid was not an excuse, all our staff were on the field working overtime, beyond their call of duty,” he said. Goa’s coastal areas were more affected than the hinterland, but it took a longer time for power restoration in areas in Anjuna, Bali, Curtorim and parts of Canacona, among several other places, due to inaccessibility. In some areas, workers had to make their way on foot without the help of cranes, in difficult terrain — roadless places, hilly areas, fields that got submerged, heavy tree cover, forest area, etc. Subsequently, the department has benefited with the equipment that was purchased at that time. “Material and tools worth almost Rs 20 crore, that wasn’t available with the department earlier, came in. Everything from good ladders, ropes, cutters, pruners, instruments, complete set of tools to attend to faults on the line were all brought in.” When asked how the state can avoid damage from another possible cyclone, Keni says that underground cabling in critical places is the only solution. Although this is very costly, he suggested that it be done in phases. “Underground cabling is the only solution,” he said. Current chief electrical engineer Stephen Fernandes said that the department has given an order for 200 transformers, stocked up on 5,000 electricity poles, service wires, material that is not available with contractors, and is carrying out underground cabling work and other infrastructure upgradation. “Underground cabling is being carried out at Mapusa, done in most of Anjuna and Porvorim, and will be carried out in Mandrem. We are also planning for underground cabling at Vasco, Bicholim and Ponda. “Over the next five years, 80% of high tension lines will be underground,” he said. “Underground cabling is expensive but it will definitely help, as rusting of overhead material takes place very quickly along our coastal belt. We will require central grants to have more underground cabling,” he said. In preparation of this monsoon season, the department has tried to replace weak and old infrastructure, and has been trying to -cut tree branches aggressively, he said.
