GETCO restores electricity transmission in Cyclone Biparjoy-affected Saurashtra and Kutch

Vadodara : After Biparjoy cyclone devastated the transmission infrastructure in 10 coastal districts of the State, including Dwarka, Kutch, Porbandar, etc., GETCO sent out 100 teams totaling over 2,000 workers to repair the damage. Efforts were made in advance to ensure that its substations and all important locations will have electricity restored by June 20th, 2023.

Damage from the cyclone included 391 substations, 675 transmission lines of varying voltage classes, 43 H Frame buildings and 78 transmission towers throughout the Saurashtra, Kutch and Banaskantha area. By 20th Jun 2023, however, a tireless and devoted staff had gradually restored electricity to all vital locations, having repaired all 391 substations. Redundancy work, including repairs to towers and transmission cables, is proceeding at a breakneck pace.

Power was also restored to all essential EHV and HT customers through transmission lines in record time, despite very tough operating circumstances, restricted or difficult access to the sites, and flooded regions.

By the 20th of June 2023, substantial damage to the Bharat Oman Wadinar Refinery, including the collapse of two large towers and the destruction of their foundations, had been repaired, and electricity had been restored to the nearby Wellspun facility in Anjar through 220 kV lines.

The cyclone disrupted power at 66 kV level to more than 200 HT users, however service was restored to all but three consumers by June 19th, 2023, and to the remaining three consumers, where substantial devastation had occurred, by June 23rd, 2023. It just took three days to fix the 400 kV power evacuation line that supplies APL’s generators with electricity.

Rapid power restoration was possible because to proactive measures and careful preparation. Knowing full well that such mobilisation becomes difficult post cyclone, high-ranking officials set up camp in the predicted coastal areas ahead of time and made sure that all necessary material, T&Ps, departmental and contractors’ working gangs, and resources were available at strategic locations in the Kutch, Dwarka, and Jamnagar districts.

Restoration work is underway, with more than 150 manpower working round the clock, and is expected to be restored by 26th June 2023, even though power evacuation from Mundra is not affected by the breakdown of this line. This tower was 75 metres tall and was part of the 400 kV D/C Mundra – Bhachau line under the Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) of POWERGRID.