TN allowed to import coal; Tangedco selling power to others, says Senthilbalaji

CHENNAI: The Centre has asked us to import an additional 21.94 lakh tonnes of coal as they could not supply adequate domestic coal, Electricity Minister V Senthilbalaji said.

After reviewing the power situation in the state, he said that with the Centre writing to the state to import coal, the cost of the coal has gone up to US$ 165 per tonne.

“We have procured 4.8 lakh tonnes of import coal at a cost of US$ 137 per tonne,” he said. Dismissing the charges of the power cuts, he said that the state was able to meet the power demand.

“If there was a power cut anywhere, it was due to maintenance work or some fault,” he said, adding that Tangedco had sold 1.44 lakh units on May 1 and 4.5 lakh units on May 8 at a cost of Rs 12 per unit to other states.