Wind power association yet to receive payment

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Indian Wind Power Association (IWPA) has written to chief minister Jayalalithaa seeking her intervention in getting its outstanding payment from Tangedco for the power supplied by it.

“Payment to wind energy sold has been unduly delayed for more than a year by Tangedco. Investors are answerable to financial institutions from where they have borrowed money. We request you to order for the monthly disbursement and also for the payment of arrears early, which will improve the confidence of investors,” IWPA chairman K. Kasthoorirangaian said in a letter to the CM.

Urging the state government to take up the issue of reinstating the benefits of accelerated depreciation to wind energy sector with the Centre, Mr Kasthoorirangaian said that the withdrawal of benefit from April 1, this year has started doing the damage.

“There is a sudden fall in the installation of wind mills in the first quarter of 2012-13, which is only 207 MW compared to 800 MW last year. We request you to use your good offices with the Central government to reinstate accelerated depreciation,” he said. He also urged the government to waive the energy consumption tax permanently for pollution-free wind and other renewable energy.

“For improving evacuation of wind power, 400 KV lines from Tirunelveli to western and northern Tamil Nadu is a must. This also calls for a few 400 KV sub stations,” he said.

2 Maps units on track soon

The two 220 MW units of the Madras Atomic Power Station (Maps), which were shut down after a switchyard tripped on August 19 at 1.15 am, will start generation in couple of days.

However, Tangedco officials said there was no need to panic, as they were able to meet the shortfall in power availability through the wind power.

According to officials of Maps, the 230 kv switchyard tripped on August 19 at 1.15 am and the reactors shutdown automatically. Maps produce eight million units of electricity a day, he said.

Asked when the problem would be sorted out, he said, “We are working on it and hopefully operations should resume in two-three days, by August 22 or 23.”

A senior Tangedco official said though the corporation was entitled to get 330 MW as its share from the 440 MW Maps units, it receives only around 180 MW a day.

“The outage in Maps will not affect us much now as the power demand was low due to the monsoon and wind mills are producing around 3500 MW a day,” said the official.