The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : TNEB's bid to buy power fails

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 10, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

TNEB's bid to buy power fails

T. Ramakrishnan

No response to tender floated by TNEB

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board's plan to purchase power through authorised traders from February till the middle of May to meet the possible shortage has fallen flat.

About a month ago, the Board decided to float bids for the power purchase, as it anticipated an additional requirement of 400 megawatt (MW).

But the power managers were surprised that there was no response to the tender. This indicates there will be no surplus power available.

At present, the demand is around 8,000 MW. During 2006 summer, the maximum demand was 8,500 MW. This summer, it is expected to be nearly 9,000 MW.

However, the Government is confident of tiding over any shortage that may arise in the next four months. Electricity Minister Arcot N. Veerasamy told The Hindu that there would be no problem. "We have requested the Union Power Minister to use his good offices to get us 15 per cent of unallocated power," he said.

Around 300 MW more from Neyveli power plants and 180 MW from the Kayamkulam power plant in Kerala would suffice, he said.

The State's requirement would be felt acutely in the three months, as wind energy would not be mostly available. From the middle of May, wind energy will ease the pressure. The present installed capacity of windmills is about 3,160 MW, of which 3,140 MW is contributed by the private sector.

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