Jaya to PM: Power Central PSUs to stave off TN crisis

Chennai: Chief minister J. Jayala­litha has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Sin­gh requesting him to intervene and find a solution to the power crisis in Tamil Nadu.

Blaiming the dismal po­wer situation in the sta­te  on the poor performance of Central public sector undertaking (PSU) like  NTPC,  BHEL and the Indian Oil Corpo­ra­tion, she said the people of Ta­mil Nadu would conclude there was a conspiracy afoot to keep the state in  darkness if he did not take immediate steps to come to their rescue.

“The sudden and unanticipated drop of about 2500 MW can be directly attributed to Central government agencies including the generating stations and public sector undertakings like  NTPC, BHEL,  Indian Oil Corporation and  Coal India Ltd,” the Chief Minister said in her letter to the Prime Minister on Tuesday.

Pointing out that Tamil Nadu had received only 777 MW  of its share of 1113 MW from the Neyveli Lignite Corporation, she said it was a “ strange coincidence” that while all existing 12 thermal units of TANGEDCO were generating to full capacity, the Central generating stations and  joint venture units were performing dismally simultaneously. “This has resulted in widespread loadshedding again in the state which was free of it till the first fortnight of November this year,” Jayalalithaa regretted.