Is Tangedco buying power from Adani at higher rate: Madras HC

Chennai: Is it a fact that State power discom Tangedco is buying power at a higher rate from a particular power generator thus causing a loss to the public exchequer, the Madras high court asked. The division bench also posed 10 queries to be answered by the state government and Tangedco by September 26.

A division bench comprising Justices N. Kirubakaran and P. Velmurugan posed the queries while hearing appeals from Tamil Nadu Electricity Consumers Association, Coimbatore and Tamil Nadu Spinning Mills Association, Dindigul. They challenged the order of a single judge who dismissed the petitions filed by them challenging G.O. dated April 17, 2018 by which the government expressed its policy decision to withdraw the permission to amend the regulations, taking away the open access facility to the power generators who produce power less than one Mega Watt.

In its order, the bench said through senior counsels P.S.Raman and AR.L.Sundaresan, appearing for the appellants, submitted that the G.O. passed by the government taking away the open access facility to the power generators who produce less than one Mega Watt was contrary to the provisions of the Electricity Act and only the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission alone has got the power to decide about the issue.

Advocate general Vijay Narayan submitted that only in the interest of the public and in order to discharge the social obligation, the order has been issued by the government. The AG further submitted that only to benefit the poorer section of the people, the G.O has been passed by which the availability of open access to the power generators of less than one MW was sought to be taken away only as per the procedure which would be decided by the Commission, the bench added.

The bench said that senior advocates appearing for the appellants had submitted that for granting benefits to the marginalised people and poorer sections, there were many methods available for the government and the appellants need not be victimised for having generated the power and not being allowed to utilise the same for their own use through the power grid.      n P3