Stalin didn't meet Adani, Tangedco didn't sign PPA pact; those spreading rumours will be sued, says min Senthilbalaji

CHENNAI: Electricity Minister V Senthilbalaji on Friday warned of legal action against those spreading 'rumours' about Chief Minister MK Stalin meeting industrialist Gautam Adani, who is under scanner for bribery charges, to procure solar power at a high cost.

Balaji condemned the opposition parties and the media for spreading a fictitious campaign. In a statement, he stated that after the DMK government came to power in 2021, Tangedco did not sign any solar power procurement agreement with any private companies and like other states, it has been procuring solar power from the Solar Energy Corporation of India alone.

"Even those procurements were done to meet the State's power demand and the Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) after getting the approval of the TNERC. There are neither any irregularities nor violations of regulations," he said.

He alleged that the previous AIADMK government signed a power purchase agreement with the Adani Group to procure 648 MW of solar power through its five subsidiary companies on July 7, 2015. "As per the PPA agreement, a unit of solar energy for Rs 7.01 if the solar plants are commissioned before March 31, 2016. However, Adani Group companies commissioned a solar generation capacity of 313 MW at Rs 7.01 per unit tariff before March 31. The rest of the 288 MW generation capacity commissioned on September 18, 2016, was given Rs 5.10 per unit," he said.

However, the minister said that the Adani Group approached the TNERC on July 20, 2021, blaming Tangedco for the delay in the commissioning of the solar plant and sought a tariff of Rs 7.01 per unit, but the commission rejected the petition. "But the Appellate Tribunal of Electricity (APTEL) accepted Adani's plea on October 7, 2022. The company filed in the PRAPTI (Payment Ratification and Analysis in Power Procurement) Portal, claiming dues of Rs 568 crore. Though the regulation mandates payment of the bills in 75 days, Tangedco approached the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the APTEL's order. However, the top court did not stay the order. So, Tangedco paid Rs 568 crore to the Adani. But the case is still pending in the SC, and the government would make strong arguments to protect the interests of the Tangedco," he said.

Senthilbalaji said that it is unacceptable to criticise the DMK government when it was AIADMK which signed the long-term agreement to procure solar power from Adani at Rs 7.01 per unit. "It is only understandable that the half-baked politicians try to portray the AIADMK government's power purchase decision as the DMK government's power purchase decision as if they are ignorant of the Supreme Court case. They lack the courage to criticise the Adani Group or the AIADMK," he said.