Over 8,900 transformers to be replaced across Tamil Nadu: Minister

Speaking to reporters after inspecting the ongoing development works of Tangedco, Senthilbalaji said, while 4.52 lakh farmers were waiting for the power supply for years, the Chief Minister MK Stalin announced free power supply during the demand for grants for the current year and the farmers are being distributed supply as per the announcement. 

In Thanjavur alone as many as 4,819 farmers would get benefitted among them 787 are given the orders and the one lakh supply would be completed in a year, the minister said.

Stating that as many as 8,905 transformers were identified to be replaced across the state for having various problems including low voltage supply, the minister said that the Chief Minister had launched a programme on replacing such transformers at his Kolathur constituency. “In Thanjavur as many as 696 transformers would be replaced and around 185 are completed and the remaining works were asked to be completed soon,” said the minister.

Charging that the mismanagement by previous AIADMK government caused a debt of Rs 1.59 lakh crore for Tangedco, Balaji said, the department has to pay a whopping interest of Rs 16,000 crore annually. “We are in the process of rectifying this and with a due consent from the Chief Minister, the next course of action would be initiated to clear the debts,” he said.

Meanwhile, the minister said, the per day coal requirement is between 56,000 and 60,000 ton and a stock for next four days are available and the remaining load would reach based on the need, he said. “We have adequate stock of coal for the power production as there is no problem with the coal stock,” assured the minister.

In the meantime, he said that there is a manpower shortage for monthly reading and so the bi-monthly practice is continuing. The department is planning to introduce smart metres for domestic usage and this would avoid manpower in reading of metres, he said. He further said a fund of Rs 163 crore has been allocated to establish 9 new substations and upgrade 15 existing sub stations in Thanjavur which would prevent life losses due to snapping of live lines.