The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : State may face power shortage, say experts

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 01, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

State may face power shortage, say experts

T. Ramakrishnan

The shortfall may be 830 MW by 2007; 1,500 MW by 2010 The shortfall may be 830 MW by 2007; 1,500 MW by 2010, official estimate

CHENNAI: Will Tamil Nadu face a power crisis, as experienced by Maharashtra this year?

Though the State does not have any problem now in power supply, the situation can turn bad in a few years, say energy experts.

The capacity addition by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board in recent years has been less, though the State has benefited from the expansion programmes of the Central power utilities and a few plants commissioned by the private sector. "After the North Chennai Thermal Power Project, commissioned 10 years ago, the TNEB has not even proposed any major project. Unless we plan now, we can face the same crisis that Maharashtra is now confronting," they say.

Maharashtra has been facing since April an acute shortage, and at times, the deficit touched 4,000 MW during peak hours. The power cuts sparked violent agitations in Pune and Nagpur.

The Tamil Nadu Government too has reckoned with a possible power crisis. According to an official document, the shortage may be 830 MW (megawatt) by 2007. It may touch 1,500 MW by 2010. This year, even during peak hours, the deficit did not go beyond 100 MW. Officials concede that the Board has not come up with any massive programme for capacity addition, but they point to two joint ventures it entered into with the National Thermal Power Corporation and the Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC). These two projects, with a capacity of 1,000 MW each, are likely to be commissioned in five or six years. One project has been proposed at north Chennai and the other at Tuticorin. Both will be coal-based thermal power projects.

But, it is the Koodangulam atomic power plant that the power managers are banking on to meet the requirements in the medium term.

"We expect that two units of 1,000 MW each will be ready by 2008. We have sought 60 per cent of power from the units," says an official source. As of now, the TNEB is to get about 45 per cent. Besides, the officials take into account the possible supply from the Kayamkulam power plant on Kerala and the Kattupalli (near Ennore) gas turbine power project, though they are aware that it is too early to come to any conclusion about the projects.

Even leaving aside these two plants, the officials are hopeful that there will not be any acute shortage by 2007 or 2008. "If at all there is any, it will be about 50 MW, which can be managed," says the source.

The Government is also making efforts to revive the Jayamkondan power project, by joining hands with the NLC.

However, the energy experts say the Government should concentrate now on getting the joint venture schemes with the NTPC and the NLC commissioned as planned.

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