No irregularities in power purchase: P Thangamani

Chennai: Electricity minister P. Thangamani has refuted DMK chief M. K. Stalin's allegations of irregularities in the purchase of power from windmills and asked him not to spread false information to tarnish the image of the state government.

"There was no 'scam,' as Stalin claims. It was a demand notice served to a private player for utilising state's infrastructure, called wheeling charges. It was found out in the state electricity department's internal audit and appropriate action has been taken against three officials," Thangamani said on Thursday.

 "I wish to clarify that it was not a case of the department shelling out money when there was no procurement, instead, it was a demand notice from the department about power purchase between two projects for which monies are owed to the department," he told reporters here. The matter is in the court, the minister added.

 Stalin had claimed that in November and December, 2016, 1.35 crore units of power was purchased at a cost of Rs 9.17 crore from a company, which had  nothing to do with power generation through wind mills.

 Three officials have been suspended in this matter and an FIR has been filed, the minister said and added that the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly cannot extend his campaign against the AIADMK government through "unfounded allegations." "The government will also consider, if need be, the option of moving the court against Stalin's continued misinformation campaign," Thangamani warned.