Power utilities restore electricity to 2.9 million people after cyclone Murasu

Power utilities in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, have restored electricity to nearly 29 lakh consumers in areas affected by Cyclone Murasu.

Special Chief Secretary K Vijayanand confirmed that the restoration work continues across coastal districts after the storm made landfall near Kothapatnam on November 3. The cyclone caused severe damage to power infrastructure in several districts, including Bapatla, Prakasam, Palnadu, Guntur, NTR, and Krishna.

Technical teams had to manage specific hazards, such as a collapsed 220-kV terminal tower in Bapatla and floodwaters that breached the walls of the Guddigudem substation. Engineers used heavy motor pumps to drain the flooded substation before inspecting and restoring the 400-kV lines and primary equipment. To complete the repairs, the Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited deployed 1,001 specialized teams consisting of 11,537 personnel. These workers restored power to 552 substations and 5,753 villages.

In the most heavily flooded areas, such as Naguluppala Padu and Kothapatnam, over 230 teams worked to reconnect more than three lakh domestic and commercial connections. Some regions still face delays because fallen electricity poles have ended up in ponds or are blocked by waterlogging. Officials are currently making alternative arrangements to provide temporary power to those locations. K Vijayanand advised residents to avoid fallen poles and snapped wires in waterlogged areas while work continues.