THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, MAY 26, 2026
Amid one of the harshest summer seasons witnessed in recent years, more
than 26,000 linemen and field personnel of Tata Power-led Odisha discoms are
working tirelessly across the state to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply
to millions of consumers battling extreme heat and storm-related disruptions.
With temperatures soaring beyond 45°C in districts such as Balangir,
Boudh, Kalahandi, Sambalpur, Subarnapur and Jharsuguda, Odisha has been
witnessing an unprecedented spike in power consumption. Increased usage of air
conditioners, air coolers, irrigation pumps, water supply systems and critical
public infrastructure has significantly pushed up the state’s peak electricity
demand over the past week, placing continuous pressure on the distribution
network.
To maintain seamless power supply during this challenging period, discom
teams are engaged in round-the-clock breakdown rectification, overload
management, preventive maintenance, transformer monitoring and network
upgradation works across urban, semi-urban and rural regions. Field personnel
are operating under extremely difficult conditions, climbing electric poles and
attending faults under scorching daytime temperatures, while also responding to
outages triggered by late-night thunderstorms.
The situation has been further aggravated by successive Kalbaisakhi
storms that recently impacted parts of Western Odisha, including Sambalpur,
Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Bargarh and Balangir. Strong winds, lightning strikes
and uprooted trees damaged poles, snapped conductors and disrupted local power
distribution infrastructure in several areas.
Despite adverse weather conditions and difficult terrain, emergency
restoration teams were mobilised immediately after the storms. Field crews
continued restoration work through the night to restore electricity supply in
affected areas at the earliest possible time, ensuring minimal inconvenience to
consumers.
Recognising the extreme conditions faced by frontline electricity
personnel, the discoms have strengthened on-ground safety and welfare
initiatives. ORS packets, drinking water, hydration support and reinforced
heat-safety protocols are being provided to field staff working in
high-temperature conditions.
Special operational monitoring is also being carried out to manage high-load feeders and critical infrastructure supplying electricity to hospitals, drinking water systems, railway operations, telecom networks, educational institutions and other essential services during the ongoing heatwave.
The relentless commitment, resilience and rapid response of Odisha’s power distribution workforce continue to play a crucial role in keeping households illuminated, essential services operational and communities connected during this phase of extreme climatic stress.
