Making the announcements, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, in a statement issued on Friday, referred to the substantial improvement in supply position in the last few weeks owing to the availability of more wind power.
Power consumers in Tamil Nadu will have some relief from the acute shortage of electricity. Beginning Saturday, domestic consumers in Chennai will have to bear only one-hour load shedding and those in remaining parts of the State, three hours.
The scheme of power holiday for low-tension and high tension industrial establishments has been withdrawn completely. As part of it the State had been divided into six regions and industrial units in each region were required not to draw power on an assigned day apart from Sundays.
Making the announcements, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, in a statement issued on Friday, referred to the substantial improvement in supply position in the last few weeks owing to the availability of more wind power.
She expressed the hope that several thermal power projects and the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project would be commissioned shortly. “The present restriction and control measures will be gradually relaxed. Appropriate steps will be taken after holding a review of the situation next month.”
Ms. Jayalalithaa issued the statement after chairing a high-level meeting attended by senior officials.
Four units of the 840 MW Mettur Thermal Power Station, which was badly affected by a fire early in May, have resumed generation to their capacity.
In recent weeks, the State has been getting, on an average, 2,000 MW through windmills.
In Februrary, the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) increased the duration of load shedding by an hour. This was done to manage the surging demand. The authorities' calculation was that from May, the situation would improve in view of higher wind energy generation, said a senior TANGEDCO official. On commissioning of one unit of 1,000 MW at Kundankulam, the State would get its share of about 462 MW.
Power managers explain that the latest decision has been taken, taking into account the wind energy generation. Wind has never failed the State over the years. The authorities also plan to purchase 700 MW from other states outside the southern region on a temporary basis.
In Chennai, the intense heat and increased use of air-conditioners has triggered a surge in demand for power. According to TANGEDCO officials, it has touched a record high of 3,000 MW as against the State's total demand of about 9,500 MW.
During summer last year, the city's average demand was around 2,000 MW and this year it was expected to be around 2,500 MW. But, due to the heat, more people have started running air conditioners, increasing the load, say officials.
An indication of the growing gap between supply and demand was a demonstration held by over 500 residents of Adyar in front of the TANGEDCO office on Thursday night. They complained that they did not have supply for over two hours in the night. They dispersed following the intervention of the police and assurance from TANGEDCO officials.
Keywords: TANGEDCO, load shedding
This is not happening in Tanjore area.We are having a total power-cut of 8+ hours and they are always unannounced.
Good. CM is doing a fantastic job with long term vision for Tamilnadu especially on Power generation.
It is good news the Government has taken valid steps to over come the
power crisis and kudos to the CM of involving in day to day to running
the TNEB. But I am at loss to under stand the ENGINEERS does not have a
action plan how come the right voltage is given after 9 P.M..Their is
no point in reducing the hours of power cut, instead the distribution
has to be chanalised properly. In our area called ULLAGARAM, virtually
we get only 110 volts which is not enough for any GADGETS not but not
the least, AC WHICH IS REQUIRED TO COOL US, NO MORE A LUXURY ITEM. WHEN
THE PERSONS IN PROMINENT PLACES CAN ENJOY ALL THE ELECTRICAL GADGETS AT
THEIR DISPOSAL, why a common man has to suffer for no fault of any
body. Hope unless the CM LOOKS INTO THE MATTER, IN TNEB right from
CHAIRMAN / MD LEVEL TO LAST CLASS IV EMPLOYEE, they are not interested
in our welfare. The recent fiasco at METTUR is a classic example ,
because of CM DIRECTIONS the entire repair was done and was added to
grid today.
There is no appropriate power management in India.
Even politics is also involved in distribution of power with in the
state. suppose if one state is producing electricity, it will be
supplying it first to other state, because of high price that state
provides, and that state would be purchasing from other. There should be
appropriate power distribution and management in our country.
Atleast there is a Chief Minsiter who communicates on the situation and
progress in how they are addressing the problem. Unlike the earlier
government which wasnt even aware that this problem exists !
Producing more electricity is one thing and regulating usage is the other. It is quite rare to see a house built with proper insulation, but yet it runs an air conditioner wasting resources. This condition will only worsen, unless a fundamental change happens in the way buildings are constructed.
This is good news, shows the government is concerned and is doing something. Well done - looking forward to the day when this one hour also is dispensed with.
The situation in chennai is wierd. I stay at Gandhi street,in
Taramani. Unfortunately when the approved powercut is only 2 hours EB
is doing it according to their wish which sometimes is for 5 hours.
Surprisingly there is one line in this area next to my house with no
power cut even for 2 hours. They donot have power cut at all and enjoy
uninterrupted powersupply for 24 hours although the powercut is
applicable to whole chennai. I really dont know the rationale for
treating the people in the same locality differently. Can you
investigate into this issue if possible?
Need of the hour is to educate the consumers to use less electricity both in terms of demand as well as energy. several years back, Gujarat Elec. Board had the power cut to conserve the water (in the dam) and coal. That is, it was the cut for energy. They educated the public that we have to reduce the energy consumption by approx. 25% to 30%. For this purpose, they allocated amount of kWh per region for each of the 8-hour shift in the day. They told public that the power will be switched off for the shift as soon the alloted quota is consumed. If public cooperates and reduces the consumption to the alloted quota, there will be no cut. Usually, the power was switched off after about 7 hours in each shift. This is the best I have ever seen.
Please Email the Editor