Tangedco trade unions oppose setting targets for PM Solar Scheme

CHENNAI: CITU affiliated Central Organisation of Tamil Nadu Electricity Employees (COTEE) and Tamil Nadu Power Engineer's Organisation has strongly opposed the oral orders issued by Tangedco to enrol 10 domestic consumers a day in each section office under the Prime Minister Free Solar Electricity for Households.

Tangedco has set a target of enrolling 25 lakh domestic consumers for the rooftop solar scheme.

"When several section offices which do not have adequate staff face issues over carrying out maintenance works and workers are burdened with increased workload. In such a situation, it is totally unacceptable to direct the workers to get an application for the rooftop solar power scheme from the consumers. The workers should not be made as a salesman, " COTEE general secretary S Rajendran said in the petition to Tangedco CMD.

He suggested that instead of making the workers enrol, the utility should distribute pamphlets about the solar scheme to the public at bill collection centres, section offices and public gathering places.

TNPEO general secretary K Arulselvan said that large-scale usage of solar power could cause grid blackouts." "Usage of rooftop solar during the day time and grid power during evening and night time could lead to fluctuations in the high tension transmission network and it could lead to blackouts, " he said.

He said that the BJP government at the centre has announced the rooftop solar scheme in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls.

He also said that there was no need to face issues over the transmission network at the time of the Lok Sabha polls. The solar scheme should be implemented only after the polls studying its impact and there was no need to hurry, he said.