Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) has pointed to disputes in billing of transmission charges by Power Grid’s arm Central Transmission Utility of lndia Ltd in the Raigarh-Pugalur-Thrissur High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission corridor.
Power Grid is implementing this transmission corridor to enable the transfer of surplus power from Raigarh in Chhattisgarh to the southern region. It is also a part of the green energy corridor for transfer of renewable energy from the southern States to the rest of India.
The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has declined Tangedco’s plea to declare the Raigarh-Pugalur-Thrissur line an asset of strategic and national importance. Tangedco has sought a review of the decision.’‘
Tangedco has pointed out that there is bi-directional power flow between Western Region and Southern Region in this transmission corridor. Out of the transmission charges, 30% is allocated to the national component and 70% is towards the regional component.’‘
Tangedco said as per the billing raised by Central Transmission Utility of India (CTUIL) for January 2023, 70% of the regional component is billed against only Southern region beneficiaries.
There is no direction from CERC to recover the charges from the Southern Region alone, it pointed out.
The State power utility also said out of the bills raised by CTUIL in October and December 2022, the regional component is only allocated to the Southern region.
Tangedco alleged that such billing is wrong and it will have a huge recurring financial loss to it and other distribution companies in the region.
In a recent communication to Southern Regional Power Committee, Tangedco has sought that CTUIL may be requested to revise the bills by allocating the regional component to Western Region and Southern Region and also excluding the interest for arrears.
