Hyderabad: In view of the highest power demand in the summer this year, power utility companies are making all arrangements to supply power with zero outages.

Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu instructed that as all facilities were provided as sought by the officials, they should ensure that there would be no interruption in power supply even for a minute in summer months.

Noting that power supply is an essential and sensitive issue, Bhatti said that officials and staff should keep this in mind and be alert round the clock. The electricity department officers at all levels should conduct meetings to evaluate their preparedness to tackle the problems they might face at the field level and awareness be created even among consumers. “The government is ready to provide all the facilities required at the field level to the officers and they could ask for anything,” he said.

Referring to the services provided by the electricity department in Hyderabad through emergency vehicles, he said such services should also be extended to rural areas. The Deputy CM instructed that as all approvals sought by the officers were given, the construction of all the sub stations and other works be completed by March 1.

He also reviewed the increasing load burden on the substations during the last three years and directed the officials to start giving incentive awards in the electricity department to staff who put in good service. Bhatti recalled that in the recent floods, staff worked hard for restoration of power supply even during midnight. Such persons should be recognised and rewarded, he said.

Wide publicity should be given to emergency phone no 1912 for resolving power supply issues. Every consumer should be sent SMS about this number and the number should be mentioned even in electricity bills despatched to the consumers. The government is ready to allocate the needed funds for strengthening the department with required number of staff, and technical support.