Latest news with #EPDCL
Time of India
31-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
EPDCL aims to complete underground cabling project by August 2026
Visakhapatnam: The Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited (EPDCL) is rapidly progressing with its ambitious underground cabling project, aiming to complete the initiative within the next 15 months. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The project involves laying underground cables for high-tension (HT) lines, including 33 kV and 11 kV lines, across the entire city. Despite facing delays in the past due to permission issues and government transitions, the second phase of the project is now underway, with work currently ongoing on the outskirts of the city. EPDCL has already completed around 140 km of the 876 km line within three months, demonstrating significant progress. Once the project is completed, residents in apartments will receive direct power supply through underground cables, eliminating the need for transformers at individual apartments. Public transformers on streets will, however, continue to be used. The importance of underground cabling became evident after the devastating super cyclone Hudhud, which prompted the govt to undertake this initiative with the help of World Bank aid. The first phase of the project, which involved laying around 260 km of underground cables on the beach road area, was successfully completed. The second phase, estimated to cost ₹973.44 crore, will cover the entire city and is expected to minimize damage to power infrastructure during cyclones and natural calamities. EPDCL CMD Immadi Prudhvi Teja stated that the target is to complete the second phase by March 2026, but the presence of bitumen (BT) roads and cement roads in the city might pose challenges. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He added that wherever kaccha roads are present, the work will be completed quickly, but digging BT and cement roads will require permissions from concerned authorities, making the process more complex. By August 2026, the city will receive power supply through underground cabling. The CMD emphasized that the project's primary goal is to achieve disaster resilience, and with the second phase, EPDCL is confident of realizing this objective. The underground cabling of power lines will not only reduce damage during natural calamities but also provide a more reliable power supply to the city's over 18 lakh consumers.
Hans India
06-05-2025
- General
- Hans India
Shyamalamba festival returns after 15 years in Saluru
Saluru: The Shyamalamba deity festival in Saluru is set to be celebrated from May 18th to 20th, marking its grand return after a 15-year hiatus. The district administration is making elaborate arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of the three-day festival. Authorities have prioritized uninterrupted drinking water supply, electricity, and sanitation services during the event. To maintain public safety and order, a control room is being established, and police bandobast (security arrangements) is underway. The police have recommended the installation of 150 CCTV cameras for surveillance and suggested placing LED screens at key locations to manage crowds effectively. EPDCL officials have commenced preparations, including setting up 12 transformers and installing approximately 95 new electric poles to guarantee continuous power supply. Around 200 sanitation workers are being deployed and works related to drinking water provision are scheduled to begin by Tuesday. Officials are expecting a massive turnout of nearly 10 lakh pilgrims for the festival. A dedicated route has already been identified for the Siri Manu Utsav procession. On Monday, Women and Child Welfare and Tribal Welfare Minister Gummidi Sandhya Rani held a review meeting at the Saluru Municipal Office. In attendance were in-charge District Collector SS Shobika and Saluru Municipal Chairperson Puvvala Eswaramma, along with other key officials. The Minister emphasized the importance of completing all works on a priority basis, especially since the festival, typically held every nine years, had been delayed due to various reasons. She expressed displeasure over the delay in drinking water-related works, despite funds being released on March 27, 2025.
The Hindu
03-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
About 70% of PM Surya Ghar Yojana applicants under EPDCL limits generating power on their rooftops, says official
About 70% of the 14,312 genuine applicants of the PM Surya Ghar (PMSG) scheme under the Visakhapatnam-based Eastern Power Distribution Company of A.P. Limited (APEPDCL) are generating the electricity on their rooftops. Solar Rooftop Photovoltaic (SRTPV) systems have been installed on their roof in 11 districts under the North Coastal Andhra Discom. Residential consumers can install SRTPV under the scheme. The electricity generated is directly supplied to the government power grid. The Discom adjusts the value of the electricity generated in the electricity bill of the scheme beneficiary. For example, if the value of the electricity generated is ₹60, but the beneficiary's electricity consumption is around ₹100. Then, the Discom charges only ₹40. If the beneficiary consumes more electricity than the electricity generated under the scheme, he or she will have to pay the electricity charges by deducting it from the value of the electricity generated. Beneficiaries of this scheme will get subsidies of up to 60% for installation of rooftop solar plants. For a 1 kilowatt (KW) capacity plant, consumers will get a subsidy of ₹30,000, an approximate total installation cost of which will be around ₹60,000 to ₹80,000. Similarly, for 2 KW capacity plants, the subsidy is ₹60,000 and for 3 KW plant, it is ₹78,000. As per data provided by APEPDCL, out of 81,980 applications registered till April 30, 2025, a total of 14,312 of them have paid the application fee and reached the installation stage. Out of these, 10,000 installations have been completed. 'The remaining applicants (4,300) are at various stages of installation and grounding. As on April 30, 2025, around 10,000 installations worth 33,555kW have been completed. We are getting good response from the public,' EPDCL CMD I. Pridvitej told The Hindu on Saturday (May 3). 'Except Alluri Sitharama Raju district where we have less than 10 scheme beneficiaries, other districts like Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Srikakulam, Eluru, West Godavari and East Godavari have more than 1,000 installed units as on April 30,' he added. Meanwhile, a senior EPDCL official said that there is a big gap between the number of registered applications (81,000) and installations as many people are not taking up the project seriously. Many people apply randomly and don't think much about the installation. 'They register with their telephone number for login on the PMSG website. Of those, only 14,300 have paid the fee and approached us seriously,' the official said. To be eligible, consumers must have at least 100 sq ft of usable roof space. Apartment complexes can also participate. However, consumers present a different version of the story. 'Awareness camps' A consumer in PM Palem said, 'The authorities concerned should publicise the scheme and its benefits, especially in residential apartments. They can organise awareness camps in the apartments.' B. Ganesh, general secretary of the Visakhapatnam Apartment Residents Welfare Association (VARWA), said, 'The authorities concerned can visit the apartments to conduct awareness meetings to explain the scheme. I am not aware of the scheme till now.'
