POWER GENERATION IN TAMILNADU IS DEPLETING
The State government on Thursday attributed the problem of power
shortage to reduced generation from the Neyveli expansion project, Kalpakkam
and Kaiga atomic power stations and the delay in commissioning of the
Kudankulam atomic power plant.
Citing the factors, Law Minister Durai Murugan, who moved the demands
for grants to the Energy department in the Assembly on behalf of ailing
Electricity Minister Arcot N. Veeraswami, said they were among the chief
reasons responsible for the power shortage experienced during 2009-2010. The
Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) was forced to impose certain restrictive
measures to limit the demand. Of 2,000 megawatt (MW) to 2,500 MW being procured
from the market to meet the present deficit, 490 MW to 740 MW was purchased from
captive power plants in the State.
Giving projections of power shortage from June 2010 to May 2011, he
stated that the deficit would vary from 1,400 MW to 3,400 MW during peak hours
(6 p.m. to 10 p.m.); 1,700 MW to 3,600 MW during day (6 a.m. to 6 p.m) and 500
MW to 2,100 MW during off-peak hours (10 p.m. to 6 a.m.)
In the last four years, capacity addition achieved by the TNEB was just
203 megawatt (MW), whereas capacity addition during 2001-2006 was 2,047 MW,
It’s a typical case of mis use of resources and lack of farsightedness
and planning.. As we grow in population the imperatives are increase in food
production, improve facilities for quality living. The power and water are the essentials,
which Government should have five plan if not ten year plan if it has then it
is working.
