The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Suggestions invited on TNEB tariff revision petition

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Saturday, Feb 27, 2010
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Suggestions invited on TNEB tariff revision petition

T. Ramakrishnan

TNERC plans to hold public hearing in four cities

CHENNAI: Power consumers can submit their objections and comments to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) on the tariff revision petition filed by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) till March 25.

Disclosing this, a senior official of the Commission says the panel will hold public hearing in four cities, including Chennai.

The State Advisory Committee of the Commission will meet shortly and discuss the proposal.

The tariff petition is for the period from 2010-2011 to 2012-2013. On January 18, the Board filed the tariff revision petition for the revision with effect from April 1.

On February 9, the Commission admitted the petition after the TNEB remitted the required fee on February 8.

Revenue gap

In the petition, the Board contended that under the present tariff structure, it would incur a revenue gap of Rs. 9,417.8 crore for 2010-2011; Rs. 8,608.56 crore for 2011-2012 and Rs. 9,618.01 crore for 2012-2013. It wanted the deficit to be partially covered through the proposed revision.

Citing its numerous plans for improvement, the power utility said due to increase in the investment in capital expenditure programme on distribution, transmission and generation, the financial assistance being provided by the State government was “clearly not sufficient.”

The Board had to borrow from open market at high cost.

As regards its programme for reducing the aggregate transmission and commercial (AT&C) losses, the Board said these accounted for 18.3 per cent in 2008-2009.

This was expected to be 18.9 per cent in 2009-2010; 18.5 per cent in 2010-2011 and 18.1 per cent in 2011-2012.

Demand side management

As for the Board’s demand side management (DSM) measures, the TNEB stated that it had taken up the matter with the Chennai Corporation and Metrowater. Subsequently, installation of dusk-to-dawn switches for streetlights, switching off street lights on one side wherever possible and introduction of electronic chokes in place of conventional ones were, among the measures carried out.

Energy audit conducted

An energy audit was conducted on the Kilpauk Water Works.

A modernisation programme was implemented at a cost of Rs.20 crore.

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