The Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) has decided to continue with the existing two-hour load-shedding everyday in Coimbatore for the next two months and not to increase it to three hours.
However, the reliability power that was supplied to High Tension (HT) consumers will not be available from March 1 and this has created concern among the industries here.
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With summer setting in and the subsequent power shortage, electricity consumers here experienced a three-hour load-shedding for a couple of days last week. However, rains in different parts of the State and a slight increase in wind energy generation helped TANGEDCO to revert to the two-hour shutdown daily.
“The rains during the last three days and wind energy brought some relief. We will continue with two hours load-shedding and not increase it to three hours,” said A. Thangavelu, Chief Engineer (Distribution). If rains and winds continue to be supportive, there would not be any problem for another two months, he added.
Now, agricultural connections would have two-hour load-shedding during day time and three-phase supply for six hours during day time and three hours during night. For the remaining period, it would be two-phase supply.
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In the case of industrial supply, apart from two hours of load-shedding every day, they would have peak-hour restriction (6 p.m. to 10 p.m.). The continuous-process industries would have power holiday for minimum five days a month and would vary according to their optimum demand.
Mr. Thangavelu pointed out that during summer, the use of conditioners went up in homes and offices.
The demand for domestic supply went up in the evening hours. Electricity consumption of the existing consumers had increased and new services were added during the last one year, thus pushing up the total consumption in this region comprising Coimbatore, Tirupur and the Nilgiris districts. Better conservation efforts from consumers would also help in meeting the shortage.
Though the scheduled load-shedding would be only for two hours, in the case of severe shortage, there would be additional load shedding for about 20 minutes. “We try to avoid load-shedding during night hours,” he said.
K. Kathirmathiyon, secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause, said the schedule should be strictly implemented and in the case of additional load-shedding, consumers should be informed earlier. Use of lavish and decorative lighting during peak hours should be restricted.
TANGEDCO should ban the use of power for luxury lighting. The shortage should be distributed across the State and no area should be exempted from load-shedding, he said.
What they say
Anshul Mishra, Commissioner, Coimbatore Corporation : The Corporation has taken very many power conservation measures in the recent past. It has engaged a private agency to bring down the power consumed by street lights.
In January alone, around 32 per cent was saved. At the Corporation main office and JNNURM building it had changed bulbs to bring down the consumption. At the newly-constructed Mettupalayam Road bus stand, it has installed a windmill and solar panels as part of the measures. It will soon go in for acquiring carbon credits.
James, President of Tamil Nadu Association of Cottage and Micro Enterprises : Power cut is slowly killing the micro sector in Coimbatore.
During the last three years, about 30 per cent of the entrepreneurs have moved out to other sectors. If the power cut continues, Coimbatore will hardly have any micro unit.
The government should identify the units severely hit by the power problem and provide more assistance to them. Load shedding should be restricted to two hours a day as scheduled.