The Hindu : New Delhi News : Centre to help State overcome power crisis

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Centre to help State overcome power crisis

Sujay Mehdudia

It will get a big boost in its share in the next few weeks

NLC to step up generation gradually
Power Trading Corporation to supply 200 MW

NEW DELHI: Responding to the request to the Centre by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi to intervene in enabling the State to overcome the severe power crisis, Minister of State for Power Jairam Ramesh on Thursday said that Tamil Nadu will get a big boost in its share from the Central Power Generation Stations in the next few weeks, for which a detailed programme had been drawn up.

Mr. Jairam gave this assurance to Mr. Karunanidhi when he met the latter at Tamil Nadu House in the capital. Also present at the meeting were Union Surface Transport Minister T.R. Baalu and State Electricity Minister Arcot Veeraswami.

Terming the demand by Tamil Nadu as legitimate, Mr. Jairam told the Chief Minister that out of the 2,600 MW share from Central stations, Tamil Nadu was only getting 1,344 MW presently.

“Normally States get around 75 per cent of their total share, but in the case of Tamil Nadu, it is only around 50 per cent. Things look quite bad in the case of Tamil Nadu,” he said.

Mr. Jairam said that since November 21, the Neyveli Lignite Corporation was facing a crisis-like situation, as its mines had been flooded by rainwater. Against its total capacity of 2,490 MW, it was only generating 220 MW.

However, the NLC Chairman had assured him that by December 15, the generating capacity would be raised to 1,000 MW, by December 31, to 2,000 MW and by January 15, to 2,400 MW, as water was being pumped out of the mines.

NTPC’s Kayamkulam Gas Turbine Plant of 180 MW was under repair and was operating at only 50 per cent capacity. From December 23, it would function to its full capacity, and then Tamil Nadu and Kerala would get 90 MW each.

Mr. Jairam said Power Trading Corporation (PTC) had agreed to supply 200 MW to the Tamil Nadu Government from Chhattisgarh from Thursday at Rs. 8.80 per unit. The PTC offered to supply another 300 MW to the State from January 1 if it wanted.

“We will help the State in overcoming all the shortages and ensure that it not only gets its full Central share but also gets additional power from other sources,” he said.

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