Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 01 August 2025
Amid persistent and worsening power outages across South Andaman, particularly in Sri Vijaya Puram and Ferrargunj Tehsils, social worker and LG Commendation Awardee Smt. VD Leju has written to the Superintending Engineer of the Electricity Department, A&N Administration, urging immediate intervention to address what she terms a “systemic failure” in the electricity infrastructure of the islands.
In her strongly worded letter dated July 31, 2025, Mrs. Leju highlighted that despite earlier representations — including one submitted in January 2024 — the electricity situation has shown no signs of improvement. Residents in these regions continue to experience unannounced power cuts lasting from two to mote than four hours daily, attributed to load shedding, overloading, and technical faults such as jumper blowouts.
“These issues, though technically valid in isolation, are occurring so frequently that they indicate a complete failure in planning, preparedness, and infrastructure,” she stated.
Mrs.. Leju outlined several underlying causes that she said require urgent rectification:
- Outdated Diesel Infrastructure: Continued dependence on ageing diesel-based generators, many of which have outlived their intended service life, has made the power supply unreliable.
- Lack of Emergency Backup: The system lacks the redundancy to cope with sudden breakdowns or generation shortfalls, leading to cascading outages.
- Delayed LNG Transition: The upcoming 50 MW LNG-based power plant by NTPC is still years away from completion and cannot address the current crisis.
– Distribution Failures: Transformer malfunctions, line faults, and delays in maintenance due to understaffed and underequipped teams are common across South Andaman.
She also cited the recent public notice issued by the Electricity Department on July 30, 2025, which acknowledges a power shortage of 5 MW due to the shutdown of the NVVN plant at Chatham for site preparation work. This is in addition to the ongoing shortfall of 3–4 MW, leading to a cumulative deficit of up to 10 MW in South Andaman.
“The Department’s appeal for judicious electricity use only underlines the gravity of the current crisis,” Leju added, stressing that power supply is no longer consistent enough to meet basic needs, let alone support vital sectors like healthcare, education, and tourism.
In her appeal, Mrs. Leju made a series of demands to stabilize the power situation in the interim, including:
1. Deployment of Temporary Generators: Bringing in additional generation units through short-term contracts or rentals.
2. Infrastructure Overhaul: Upgrading feeders, transformers, and substations to reduce faults and improve distribution.
3. Transparency Measures: Publishing load-shedding schedules and creating effective grievance redressal systems.
4. Strengthening Maintenance Teams: Providing better equipment and round-the-clock emergency response support.
5. Exploring Long-Term Solutions: Considering regional grid connectivity through submarine cables and investing in sustainable energy sources.
Emphasizing that reliable electricity is a basic necessity, not a luxury, she called for swift and serious administrative action to safeguard the quality of life and economic stability of the islanders.
The letter has also been marked to key officials and policymakers, including the Hon’ble Minister of Power, Member of Parliament from A&N Islands, Chief Secretary of the A&N Administration, Secretary (Power), and Director of Electricity.
