The Andhra Pradesh Government and State power utilities have stepped up efforts to restore the power supply and rebuilding some of the infrastructure.
The Hudhud cyclone has damaged power installations, including supply lines in Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts and restoration and relief operations are now underway.
Ajay Jain, State Secretary, Energy said the cyclone, gale and winds of up to 200 km speed had caused severe bus and earth faults which in turn damaged the substation equipment, poles, transformers and Transmission & Distribution lines. Around 20,000 poles are either broken or damaged apart from shutting down of 2000 MW NTPC Simhadri power plant.
Meanwhile, start up power supply to Simhadri 2000 MW power plant at Visakhpatnam is restored from Vemagiri 400 KV Substation. Officials are putting all out efforts to arrange alternate supply from other sources to Visakhapatnam.
K. Vijayanand, CMD, AP Transco had rushed to Visakhapatnam for overseeing the restoration woks.
Kartikeya Misra, Joint Managing Director, Telangana State Transmission Corporation Limited has informed Ajay Jain that the material worth of Rs 13 crore has been dispatched from Hyderabad to Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts for restoration of power supply at the earliest.
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Government have also extended support to the State deploying men and material for rescue operations.