Underground Cables Help Maintain Power Supply

Several beachfront localities in Visakhapatnam managed to maintain electricity supply during Cyclone Arnab, even as parts of the city and coastal Andhra Pradesh experienced prolonged power cuts.

According to a report published by Deccan Chronicle on October 29, the underground electricity cabling network helped protect covered areas from disruptions caused by strong winds and falling trees.

The network proved particularly useful during the cyclone, which affected power infrastructure across the region.

Which Areas Benefited?

The underground cabling system serves several important residential and commercial localities, including:

• RK Beach

• Siripuram

• CBM Compound

• Old CBI Down

• China Waltair and Peda Waltair

• Pandurangapuram

• Kirlampudi Layout

• East Point Colony

• Parts of MVP Colony

Residents in these areas reportedly continued to receive power despite incidents involving fallen trees and damaged streetlight poles.

Underground Cabling Project Began After Hudhud

The underground cabling project in Visakhapatnam began in March 2018, with initial civil works starting near RK Beach under a World Bank-funded initiative.

The project was taken up following the extensive damage caused by Cyclone Hudhud in October 2014, which exposed the vulnerability of overhead electricity infrastructure to severe weather.

By moving power lines underground in selected areas, the project aimed to reduce weather-related disruptions and improve the reliability of electricity supply.

Other Localities Faced Prolonged Power Cuts

While the beachfront areas covered by the underground network reportedly remained powered, residents in other parts of Visakhapatnam faced outages lasting several hours.

Localities including Madhurawada, Seethammadhara, HB Colony, Dwarakanagar and Maddilapalem experienced power disruptions. Repeated interruptions were also reported as restoration teams dealt with fallen trees and damage to electricity lines.

APEPDCL officials said continuous tree falls caused power supply to trip again soon after restoration in some locations.

A Lesson in Cyclone-Resilient Infrastructure

The experience during Cyclone Arnab highlights the role underground electricity infrastructure can play in improving power reliability during extreme weather.

However, the benefits remain limited to areas covered by the network. Extending resilient infrastructure and improving emergency restoration arrangements could help reduce the impact of future cyclones on residents across Visakhapatnam.