Tata Power’s TP Central Odisha Distribution Ltd (TPCODL), on June 2, 2021, completed its first year of successful operations in Odisha.
Since acquiring erstwhile Central Odisha discom CESU a year ago, TPCODL has consistently presented sustainable, affordable and innovative energy solutions to its customers in Odisha, a Tata Power release said.
TDCODL – a joint venture between Tata Power (51 per cent equity and management control) and Odisha government utility GRIDCO (49 per cent equity) – currently caters to a customer base of 2.6 million in five circles of central Odisha.
Since its takeover, TPCODL has so far replaced 2.6 lakh defective meters. The company continues to focus on preventive and predictive maintenance activities and improved reliability of power supply.
On the one-year milestone, Sanjay Banga, President – T&D, Tata Power, said, “We are extremely thrilled to celebrate our maiden year of the Odisha Distribution. Given Tata Power’s track record of success and its expertise in the distribution business, we will continue to stay committed to providing reliable, affordable and quality power supply along with a superior customer service in Odisha.”
One year of TPCODL: Key initiatives
The various initiatives taken up by TPCODL during its first year of operations include:
- Setting up of five customer care centers (including two all-women centres) at Cuttack and Puri
- Introduction of a new bill format and enabling digital payments. Digital initiatives not only increased the online bill collection by 103 per cent
- Undertaking of various employee-centric initiatives that involved direct employment of about 500 individuals and indirect employment of over 8,000 individuals through business associates.
- Introduced ‘Gyankosh’, an e-Learning Platform for enhancing employee competency
- Offered career growth opportunities to erstwhile CESU employees through both horizontal and vertical movement
- Digitalized processes like network maintenance, procurement, material management, meter reading, billing including HR and other support .
- Introduction of technological innovations like Wide Parallel Beam (WPB) poles, which have a higher tensile strength andare low cost compared to the RS Joist pole
- Initiation of a study to design a cyclone-resilient network
- The company’s Sub-transmission System Team scheduled grid audits to test all equipment at grid substations and assess their condition and plan for equipment replacement or refurbishment in a phased manner, at all substations
- Initiation of preventive maintenance of 33/11kV structures and lines to enhance the network availability and improve reliability
- Re-conditioning of in-house transformers and undertaking of theme-based training for over 500 business associates.
- Started GIS, SCADA and customer mapping. Incidentally, Tata Power aims to make all four Odisha discoms Smart Grid-compliant in the next three years.
- Building of a healthy network for HT and LT lines by starting a monthly review of top 10 tripping feeders.
Yaas impact
Quick restoration of power supply post the recent cyclone ‘YAAS’ was the testament of TPCODLs commitment of superior customer service. With continuous monitoring, systematic patrolling of feeders and clearing of network lines, TPCODL was able to restore 70 per cent of the power supply within eight hours of landfall. TPCODL also ensured 100 per cent power supply to the twin cities (Cuttack and Bhubaneswar) with systematic maintenance of its network.
(Featured photograph shows a customer care centre of TPCODL)
