Chennai experienced widespread power disruptions on Thursday night following a significant fire at the Manali substation, located in North Chennai. The incident has led to extensive outages across various parts of the city, affecting daily life and causing considerable inconvenience to residents.
Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) Managing Director Rajesh Lakhani confirmed that the blaze originated within the substation itself. While emergency services, including fire and rescue personnel, are actively working to control and extinguish the fire, the incident has already had a substantial impact on the city’s power supply. Lakhani clarified that the fire was not a result of an overload, as current demand levels are lower than the peak summer periods. Preliminary investigations suggest that a malfunctioning piece of equipment may be the cause of the blaze. Efforts are underway to restore power, with an initial focus on re-establishing supply to approximately 50 per cent of the affected areas, including RA Puram, Mylapore, and Pulianthope. A bypass line is being constructed to expedite this process.
Despite these efforts, many residents have reported prolonged outages and disruptions. Social media platforms have been abuzz with complaints and queries about the blackout. One resident highlighted the severe impact on the elderly population, noting issues such as high blood pressure and general discomfort due to the power cut. Another user pointed out the non-functional streetlights on Anna Salai Road, further exacerbating the situation. TANGEDCO has assured that the remaining power supply will be restored promptly, but there is no specific timeline for when full power will be reinstated. The situation remains fluid as teams continue to work on resolving the issues caused by the fire. In summary, the fire at the Manali substation has led to significant power outages across Chennai, with ongoing efforts to mitigate the impact and restore normalcy to affected areas.
