Tangedco pays through nose as supply from central stations hit

CHENNAI: With the supply from the Central Generating Stations (CGS) taking a hit and energy consumption shooting up by 12 per cent this month, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) has been left with no other option but to procure high-cost power from elsewhere.

According to a senior Tangedco official, the long shutdown of some plants of the CGS has put the utility in a precarious situation even as the State’s energy consumption has reported a surge.

The State is supposed to get 6,949 MW as its share from the CGS. However, 1,723 MW or 24 per cent of its allocated share are under the shutdown owing to either a forced outage or planned maintenance shutdown.

The 1000 MW unit I of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant has been under shutdown for refuelling since January 29.

“The KKNPP, which supplies 575 MW to the state, is expected to resume generation only from April 12,” the official said.

Two units (500 MW each) of Vallur Thermal Power Plant, which supplies 712 MW, are under forced outage and may resume generation in the third week of March.

The official said NLC, which supplies 1,738 MW, has cut down on supply citing issues over mining land acquisition. “Shortage of 300 MW to 400 MW from NLC is impacting our planning,” the official said.

Officials said the State’s power demand has gone up by 10 per cent with the consumption increasing by 12 per cent.

“Compared to last year, we are getting supply from private thermal power plants in the State. Even then, we are forced to procure 371 million units from the exchange to meet the shortfall,” the official said, adding the cost of energy supplied by the CGS would be around Rs 4-5 per unit.

“The cost would be not less than Rs 10 per unit during the peak hours,” the official added.