Tamil Nadu to purchase power to meet energy shortage

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Chennai: With wind power generation expected to lend a helping hand only till September, the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) is gearing up to face the subsequent power shortage by procuring power. 
 
As a prelude, Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) has approved the procurement of 1,177 MW power from inter-state traders and generators from June 2013 to May next year by Tangedco as they are supplying power at the rate below Rs 5 per kilo watt hour. The Tangedco should neither waste any energy nor pay for power without off taking the same from suppliers, the commission in its order dated June 4.
 
Tangedco has gone for the power purchase to bridge the shortage of 4,000 MW with the state’s power demand hovers around 12,000 MW but the availability from various sources is in the range of 8,000 MW. 
 
The TNERC has noted that the availability of open access to southern region from the other regions is a critical issue. During the hearing, Tangedco said all the four southern states compete for open access for procurement of power from other regions and whatever capacity is available it is distributed proportionately to various short-term open access applicants.  
 
The open access availability is virtually negligible in view of the booking of the corridor even beyond June 2013.
 
“The open access availability will be not more than 25 per cent  of the applied quantum of the proposed power purchase aggregating to 1177 MW of RTC power and corresponding energy of 10,150 MU,” admitted chief engineer of Private Power Projects (PPP), Tangedco.
 
To a query from the Commission as to how this power will be used in case open access is available, CE (PPP) clarified that the power would be distributed to various consumers who are facing restriction and control measures and load shedding, backing down of expensive generating units. 
 
Analysing the transmission constraints, the Central Electricity Authority, in its Load Generation Balance Report for 2013-14, said that Northern-North Eastern-Eastern-Western (NEW) Grid is likely to be surplus to the extent of 2.3 per cent% during peak hours when considered separately from Southern Region which faces a shortage of 26.1 per cent. 
 
However, due to inter-regional transmission constraints between NEW Grid and SR Grid, overall average anticipated peak shortage of NEW + SR Grid on annual basis works out to 6.2 per cent.