The state’s move to make the power transmission and distribution network disaster proof in highly vulnerable coastal districts assumes significance as Odisha frequently borne the brunt of severe cyclones because of its geographical location.
Officials in the energy department said Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) jointly with the state government has identified that over 30 percent of sub-stations lie within 20 km of the coast line and 75 percent of distribution lines were commissioned three decades ago.
Making them highly susceptible to cyclone and flood related damages.
In the past two decades, the state with more than 550 km coastline along the Bay of Bengal, faced more than seven severe to extremely severe cyclonic storms which caused extensive damage to critical infrastructure especially the power-related infrastructure.
Official sources said Odisha’s power network has suffered a cumulative damage of nearly Rs 10,000 crore due to cyclones over 1999 (the year Odisha was hit by Super cyclone that claimed over 10,000 lives) to cyclone Fani in 2019.
Multiple studies also suggest that prolonged power disruption and blackouts reduce firm revenues by 5-10 per cent.
The Odisha government has placed a formal proposal before the National Disaster Management Authority on April 27 seeking funds from disaster mitigation funds.
Before, state’s deputy CM KV Singh Deo, who holds the energy department, had also written to Shah seeking funds from the Centre for disaster-resilient power infrastructure in Odisha.
The proposed interventions include underground cabling of critical corridors, cyclone-resilient transmission and distribution systems, resilient substations, network redundancy, protection of lifeline facilities and adoption of advanced technologies to ensure continuity of services during and after disasters.
Majhi’s letter to the Union home minister came weeks after Union minister of state for home affairs Nityananda Rai responded to the state’s government’s proposal saying that the primary responsibility of disaster management rests with the state governments while the Centre only supplements the efforts.
Rai also informed that proposals related to power generation.
