Chennai: Avadi and its neighbourhoods grapple with persistent power cuts and voltage fluctuations, and residents complain they are still waiting for the three substations they were promised.Citing the reply to an RTI petition, the residents demand that TNPDCL take proactive measures to start work on the three substations to ensure a quality power supply to the locality.Tharanitharan, a civic activist from Avadi, who filed an RTI petition to find the status of the proposed substations for the Avadi region, said a new substation was proposed in Paruthipattu in 2021, another in Govardhanagiri in 2022, and one more in the Kendriya Vihar area in 2024.The first two substations were approved by TNPDCL in 2022 and 2023. The cost was estimated at 26 crore and 21.4 crore for the Paruthipattu and Govardhanagiri substations, respectively. However, work for the Paruthipattu substation began with a budget of just 1 crore, said Tharanitharan.Sivaraman of Annanur near Avadi said the area faces power cuts at least once every week during the night hours. “The power supply is erratic, but no action has been taken despite multiple complaints,” he said.However, the TNPDCL executive engineer for the Avadi division said work for the new substation in Paruthipattu, with two power transformers for a total capacity of 16 MVA, has already begun and will be completed within two months. “The substation will act as an additional source and ensure uninterrupted power supply to the Paruthipattu area,” he said. Currently, power supply to Paruthipattu is provided from the Kamaraj Nagar feeder. The other substation in Govardhanagiri will begin next year, he added.The officer said the plans for the substations were mooted to meet the growing power load in the region due to rapid development. The power load increased by at least 25% in the last five years and stands at 138.4 megawatts (MW).