There will be no power cut from Sunday, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has announced.
The 20 per cent cut in supply to high-tension industrial units and commercial establishments will be lifted.
Peak hour restrictions (90 per cent restrictions on supply during 6 p.m-10 p.m.) on both categories of consumers will also be removed, Ms. Jayalalithaa said, after a review meeting at the Secretariat on Tuesday.
“I take pride that as promised by me, Tamil Nadu has been made free of power cut in three years,” she said, hoping the move would help to spur industrial growth and create more jobs.
All restriction and control (R&C) measures, originally imposed by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam regime since November 2008, would stand withdrawn, the Chief Minister said in an official release.
The withdrawal of R&C measures also meant that there would not be scheduled load shedding for domestic consumers. In the last few years, at different points of time, this category of consumers in most parts of the State experienced different spells of load shedding.
Pointing out that the decisions had been taken in view of the availability of large amount of wind power from next month, Ms. Jayalalithaa said that while 500 megawatt (MW) was being purchased on a medium-term basis, agreements were signed for buying 3,300 MW on a long-term basis, which would be available to the State, starting from August.
In addition, thanks to her government’s efforts, the capacity addition of 2,500 MW was made in the past three years. In the past five days, there was no power cut. She recalled that when she assumed office as Chief Minister in May 2011, the State’s requirement was 12,000 MW, against the availability of 8,000 MW.
A senior official explained that wind power would contribute, on an average, 3,000 MW. By relaxing power cut and the evening peak-hour restrictions, the load would go up by 150 MW to 300 MW during the day and 800 MW in the evening.
Industrial units in Coimbatore district have welcomed the withdrawal of power cut and peak hour restrictions.
