Improved production to make Tamil Nadu surplus

Chennai: In the next five-years, Tamil Nadu will be a major power surplus state in the country having 30 per cent surplus power over its projected demand in 2021with a planned capacity addition of 19,500 mw.

According to the Tangedco's projection on power demand and availability from 2016-17 to 2021-22, the state will have a surplus of 6371 mw as against its projected peak demand of 21,348 mw in 2021-22.

For this fiscal year, the utility has predicted a maximum demand of 15,566 mw against expected availability of 15,378 mw and already planned short-term power purchase to overcome the shortage. In 2017-18, the state will again face a deficit of 788 mw against the projected demand was 16,577 mw while the shortage will go upto 1,451 mw in 2018-19 as against its maximum demand of 17,679 mw, as per the data submitted by the utility to the Central Electricity Authority for the 19th Electric Power Survey. But the deficit will be overcome with power purchase and improved grid infrastructure, the official said.

In 2019-20, the state would again become power surplus with the expected capacity addition to the tune of 4,360 mw and the projected demand would be 18,841 mw as against availability of 19,782. The next year power surplus goes up further to 2,887 mw with a projected demand of 20,065 mw following capacity addition of 4,440 mw. In 2021-22, the surplus touches 6,371 mw after the new generation capacity to the tune of 7,640 mw would be added to the grid.

The power supply projection was made by the Tangedco based on the ongoing power projects and new projects in various stages of implementation. The construction of the four ongoing thermal power projects with combined capacity of 4,380 was underway and expected to be commissioned between 2018 and 2020.

The utility has lined up another eight power projects including two pumped storage hydro-electric project with total generation capacity of 15,120 mw for commissioning in 2021-22 and projects were under various stages of pre tendering works.

After facing a power deficit for over eight years, the state lifted all the power restrictions imposed on the consumers including high-tension industry in June 2015 to become a power surplus state. Besides industries, the rural and semi urban areas were facing a power outages ranging from 10 hours to 16 hours when the peak power shortage touched 2,247 mw in 2011-12. The turnaround in power supply position was achieved after the commissioning of long delayed thermal power projects and signing of long-term power agreements.