Chennai: Power demand is expected to be around 22,000 Megawatts (MW) as summer peaks and the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (TNPDCL) has signed short-term power purchase agreements for 6,000 MW for April and May, electricity, prohibition excise minister V Senthil Balaji said on Wednesday.
After a review meeting with TNPDCL officials on the preparedness to meet the summer demand, the minister said the power purchase agreements were signed as per the directions of the chief minister M K Stalin to ensure an uninterrupted power supply. “The average cost of power is 8 to 9 per unit, and agreements have been signed only to meet the morning (6am to 10am) and evening peaks (6pm to midnight),” said the minister.
Refuting allegations of power cuts, he said, interruptions in power supply due to ongoing civic works cannot be dubbed as wilful shutdowns. “The discom personnel are on the field to restore power supply at the earliest,” the minister said.
The Stage III of the North Chennai Thermal Power Station (NCTPS) is currently generating power up to 500 MW and will soon begin commercial operations, he said. “With Udangudi, Uppur, and Ennore expansion projects, the state will add another 7,000 MW of thermal power to the installed capacity by 2030. Pumped storage projects and battery storage projects also will increase the state’s capacity to meet the peak power demand,” he said.
In the last four years, 78,000 transformers were additionally installed and approvals were sanctioned for 250 substations, he said. “For the remaining substations, land acquisition is under process with the respective district collectorate,” he said.
Senthilbalaji admitted that there is a 33% vacancy in the discom. “Important posts that need to be immediately filled have been identified, and steps are underway to fill them,” he said.