Cyclone Remal: 17.2m consumers still remain without electricity

Despite measures taken by utilities under the Power Division, some 17.2 million consumers still remain without electricity after Cyclone Remal hit the country on Sunday.

According to a Power Division press release, a total of 30.3 million consumers were affected by the storm of which electricity supply was restored to 13.1 million consumers, while 17.2 million remained without power.

It said that efforts are on to restore power supply to 80% of the customers by morning of Wednesday through commissioning all 33kV and 11kV lines while 60% of them will get power by Tuesday night.

The remaining 20% affected consumers will have to wait as their services were stopped and immediate measures will be taken to go to door to door to repair their meters.

• Cyclone Remal: 27m consumers without electricity across Bangladesh

The Power Division said that as part of post-cyclone initiatives for remediation of damages by the Remal, Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) rapidly took measures in its areas under 80 Pally Bidduy Samities (PBSs) while West Zone Power Distribution Company (WZPDC) in its own operational areas through on-site monitoring.

Giving a description of the damages, the Power Division said that a total 766 of 33kV feeders were damaged of which 455 were recovered and remaining 311 unrecovered while 1,105 substations of 33/11kV were damaged of which 654 recovered and remaining 451 unrecovered.

A total of 6,235 of 11kV feeders were destroyed of which 2,384 was recovered and remaining 3,851 were not, a total of 3,833 electric poles collapsed while 2,567 were repaired and remaining 1,266 were not, while 2,818 distribution transformers were damaged of which 1,696 were restored and remaining 1,122 were not.

According to preliminary information, the cyclone Remal caused damages to electricity infrastructures worth Tk103.33 crore.

More than 30,000 manpower is working in the field, including the BREB's contractors.

The total consumers of the WZPDC is 1,548,000 of which electricity supply to 1,403,000 consumers was restored while 1,44,000 remained unrestored. The WZPDC’s infrastructures worth Tk5.07 crore were damaged.