Wednesday, Mar 12, 2003
Wednesday, Mar 12, 2003 |
| Southern States | ||
|
News:
Front Page |
National |
Southern States |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Southern States
-
Tamil Nadu
By V. Jayanth
As part of a presentation to the SERC, the TNEB has made a wide range of commitments on toning up its efficiency and improving interface with customers. When its demands for additional revenue and a viable tariff are granted, the TNEB, officials explain, will initiate a wide-range of measures to improve its performance and enhance its service. The measures contemplated by the board will cover all aspects — from improving the already high Plant Load Factor to addressing serious problems on the distribution side. Simultaneously, it will look at setting up more plants to step up generation, toning up monitoring and working on the `failure rate' of transformers. From 10.60 per cent in 1999-2000, the failure rate was brought down to 6.22 per cent by January, according to the board. It would be reduced to just 6 per cent in due course. Included in its action plan is a proposal to extend the `Reliability index' system on tripping, now in place in Chennai, to all municipalities. And in Chennai, board sources say, a project to upgrade fuse call centres is being considered. The State-owned ELCOT will arrange for hardware to computerise the centres, which will be able to significantly improve handling consumer complaints and provide a higher level of `interface'. The focus on the `quality of power' will be sharpened. Nearly 50 per cent of the board's annual budget has already been earmarked for improvement in transmission and distribution. After tying up funds from various sources, Rs. 1,097-crore scheme is now under implementation and will be completed by 2004-05. "We are already in the top league of State Electricity Boards and are now committed to benchmarking our services with the best in the country ," says a TNEB engineer. With the Centre announcing a new package of incentives for mega projects, the Government and the TNEB are now "seriously exploring" the feasibility of going in for a couple of 1000-MW projects. Already, a joint venture with the Neyveli Lignite Corporation is on the cards, to set up a coal-based thermal plant in Tuticorin. Envisaged as a 500-MW plant initially, this could well become a 1000-MW unit to cash in on the new incentive regime. The possibility of similar joint ventures with the private sector or other Central agencies is also being considered. Asked about the relatively low increase announced the Regulatory Commission in Karnataka, the TNEB sources explained: "If the increase becomes a regular feature, the revision will also be minimal. This is the first time a tariff increase is being effected through the Regulatory Commission and this is exactly what the High Court has also asked us to do. When the SERC has taken charge of all these issues as the regulator in the power sector, the entire responsibility rests with the Commission. And included in its charter is not just the tariff revision, but also a whole lot of functions to ensure that the consumer gets the best deal. Consumers will soon begin to realise the benefits of a regulator and the TNEB will become more transparent and accountable," a senior official said.
Printer friendly
page
News:
Front Page |
National |
Southern States |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
|
|
|
The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription Group Sites: The Hindu | Business Line | The Sportstar | Frontline | The Hindu eBooks | Home |
Copyright © 2003, The
Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of
The Hindu
|
