TNERC directs TANGEDCO to provide a three-phase power supply in rural feeders

CHENNAI: In a boost for industries located in the rural areas, the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission has directed the TANGEDCO to provide a three-phase round-the-clock power supply to all the rural feeders in a phased manner.

"We have also concluded that the age-old non-standard method of two-phasing deserves to be phased out and stopped in the view of its inefficacy to the purpose but only detriment to the distribution system. We further conclude that as an efficacious and efficient alternative, the three-phase continuous supply shall be provided to all feeders in a phased manner in compliance with the Government Order, sensitizing the farmers to voluntarily stall their pump sets during peak hours, " the order said.

To restrict power supply to agricultural pump sets, TANGEDCO imposes restrictions on the supply of three-phase power supply so that water pumps cannot be operated but it also affects the rural industries and the general public.

An order to this effect was passed on a petition moved by M Xavier of Thoothukudi who runs an industrial unit at Kakkarampatti, Ottapidaram, and alleged that the production in his manufacturing unit was impacted by the uncertain nature of the three-phase power supply in the rural feeder.

Activist and retired TANGEDCO executive engineer S Neelakanta Pillai was the authorised representative of the petitioner. The petitioner stated that while all similar Industrial consumers connected in other than rural feeders are permitted to enjoy a three-phase power supply for the entire 24 hours in a day and without any rule of restriction, the petitioner was aggrieved by such discrimination among the equally placed consumers causing the disparity.

In the order, TNERC directed the utility to extend a three-phase power supply round the clock a day regularly to the HT feeder in which the petitioner's industry is located as a pilot measure within two months.

TANGEDCO argued that the petitioner's industry is located in an agriculture belt which is a non-industrial zone and hence has to avail supply from available sources of electricity around the area.

Consumers connected to rural feeders have sufficient knowledge about the three-phase availability timings, it said, adding that they will plan their regular activity depending on the availability of the three-phase supply. It noted that it has taken up a loan from the ASIAN Development Bank to segregate agricultural load to avoid transmission losses and provide a balanced supply to agricultural connections.

The commission also urged TANGEDCO to install capacitors in all agricultural pump sets on priority as already directed in the Tariff order and speed up the ongoing projects and feeder solarisation to supplement the measures of providing a three-phase supply to all feeders and consumers.