Berhampur: Cyclone Montha brought intense rain and gusty winds across several districts of Southern Odisha, causing temporary disruption of electricity supply in many areas under TP Southern Odisha Distribution Limited (TPSODL).
Rising to the challenge with remarkable preparedness and rapid field response, TPSODL has successfully restored electricity supply to more than 9 lakh 50 thousand consumers out of the 9,88,253 affected, achieving a major milestone of 98% restoration within just 18 hours of the cyclone’s peak impact.
The power infrastructure faced damage across the network, including 33 kV and 11 kV feeders, substations and distribution transformers. However, due to the swift action of the restoration teams, 100% of the affected 33 kV feeders have already been revived, ensuring rapid stabilization of the main power backbone. Restoration efforts at primary substations are also completed with 100 % already operational. At the distribution level, 99 percent of the 11 kV feeders have been normalised and 32,344 distribution transformers have been restored out of 33,535 impacted, reflecting a nearly complete revival of electricity supply across urban, semi-urban, and rural areas — most of it achieved within a record 18-hour period.
Ensuring continuity of essential public services remained the foremost priority for TPSODL. Power restoration for healthcare facilities has been completed on war footing, enabling 100% revival of Medical Colleges, District Headquarters Hospitals, Community Health Centres, and Primary Health Centres. This ensured uninterrupted access to emergency and critical care services throughout the cyclone period. Drinking water supply infrastructure too has been fully energized under the Public Health Engineering Department (PHD), while restoration under Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) has reached 99%, helping maintain water security in the aftermath of the storm.
A massive manpower deployment of 5,925 skilled personnel has been working round the clock across Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, and Boudh districts. These teams, supported by mobile power generators and rapid response units, continue to operate in difficult terrains and weather-affected zones to ensure the remaining pockets are restored at the earliest. TPSODL has kept its centralized and district-level control rooms in continuous operation to coordinate field efforts and support public safety needs.
Speaking on the accelerated progress, Amit Garg, CEO, TPSODL said, “Our teams have worked tirelessly on the ground, braving adverse weather and challenging conditions to ensure timely restoration of essential services. Achieving more than 98% consumer restoration and 100% revival of critical infrastructure within just 18 hours reflects TPSODL’s strong preparedness, technical expertise, and unwavering commitment to the people of Southern Odisha. We continue to stay fully alert with round-the-clock monitoring and coordinated ground operations to ensure complete normalization at the earliest.”
With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting continued rainfall and wind activity in some areas, TPSODL remains fully prepared with active safety monitoring, emergency resource deployment, and close coordination with the district administrations. Consumers are advised to stay away from damaged electrical installations and promptly report any hazards or supply-related concerns through TPSODL’s 24×7 helpline 18002026 or 1912.
