Tangedco evacuates record 4,716 MW wind power
On Tuesday Tangedco met a total peak demand of 13, 970 mw of which 4716 mw came from wind mills.
Chennai: Tamil Nadu achieved a new milestone in the renewable power generation with Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation evacuated record 4716 mw of wind power on Tuesday.
On Tuesday Tangedco met a total peak demand of 13, 970 mw of which 4716 mw came from wind mills. Wind power accounts for 33 per cent of the total demand met. “We are happy. This is the maximum wind power evacuated by Tangedco. It is a new record,” Prof K. Kasthurirangaian, chairman, Indian Wind Power Association (IWPA.) told DC. The previous all time high wind generation was 4614 mw on August 5 this year.
In terms of day’s energy consumption, the state consumed 297 million units of which 97.35 MUs came from wind energy, he said, adding, “This is another record.” “This year we have got good winds. The evacuation is also good,” he noted. The previous highest wind energy consumption was 94.648 MU on June 30 this year. The record wind power evacuation was being done at a time when Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking speedy establishment of the inter-state green energy corridor to enable the state to transmit renewable power to other states.
This turnaround in the wind power evacuation was possible because of the forecast and scheduling provided by National Institute of Wind Energy on behalf of the generators, Mr Kasthurirangaian said. From April 1 to August 16, the Tangedco has evacuated one and half times more wind energy in this period than corresponding period in 2015, he noted. He expressed hope that by the time when the wind power season comes to an end in October, the wind power evacuation by the Tangedco would better its own record evacuation done in 2012.
A senior Tangedco official said that almost 65 per cent of the 7616 mw installed capacity of wind mills is being utilized by the utility. “We have been evacuating all the power generated by the wind mills this season,” the official said, adding that wind power is being accommodated backing down the state owned thermal power stations. “We are ramping down generations from the thermal power stations to utilise wind power,” the official said.