Chennai: The state will get some relief from acute power shortage when the southern grid will be integrated to the national grid in January next year, the Power Grid Corporation of India said.
“Two new 756 kv circuit lines between Raichur in Karnataka and Sholapur in Maharashtra with 2,000 mw capacity each are under construction. One, constructed by PGCIL, will be commissioned by January next year while another, by a private company, will be commissioned by early next year,” N. Ravikumar, executive director (SR – II) of PGCIL told reporters on the sidelines of PGCIL’s further public offer between December 3 and 6.
Ravikumar said that once the new line was commissioned, the southern states, including Tamil Nadu, would be able to import surplus power from the North East West (NEW) grid. But Tamil Nadu has to wait till 2014 end to benefit fully from the integration as the inter state transmission system with the Southern Region is yet to be over, the official said.
However, he said that the new lines would be tested for stability for four to five months before being put to full use. “Even after the commissioning, the lines would be used to transmit only 50 per cent of their total capacity as part of a contingency plan. The idea is that if one line has tripped the other should be able to carry its capacity. So that grid remains stable,” he explained.
When asked about the state government’s allegation of discrimination in allocating grids to import power, PGCIL director (projects) I. S. Jha said that allocation for the grid was being done in a very transparent way.
He noted that the problem in the southern region, particularly Tamil Nadu, was delaying completion of the power projects. “We never anticipated bringing power to the southern region, but to take power from here,” he said pointing out the delay in Kudankulam, Neyveli Expansion and private projects in the Tuticorin-Cuddalore coastal projects.
To rescue the southern state, he said that PGCIL had advanced the Raichur-Sholapur line execution by nine months and the Kolhapur-Narendra line by next year end, which is supposed to be completed in 2015 end. Besides, he said that PGCIL was also planning to put in a 6000 mw Chhatisgarh-Pugalur transmission line which would help the state get power transmitted from other parts of the country.
Next: Jaya reviews power scenario
Jaya reviews power scenario
Chennai: With the state reeling under acute power shortage, chief minister Jayalalithaa on Monday reviewed the power situation with top officials including chief secretary, energy secretary and TNEB chairman.
The chief minister’s review came on the day when two-hour load shedding was reintroduced in Chennai and its suburbs. Sources said chief minister was briefed about the present demand and supply gap and the steps taken to bridge it.
Jayalalithaa was also apprised about the present status of the ongoing power projects in the state including 600 mw Mettur and 1200 mw North Chennai thermal power projects, sources added. Chief secretary Sheela Balakrishnan, finance secretary K Shanmugam, Tangedco chairman Gnanadesikan and other higher officials were present.
With the depression formed over Tamil Nadu coast, the state has been receiving widespread rain since Saturday. “The widespread rain resulted in drop in power demand. Till few days back power demand was about 12000 mw and it has fallen to 11,000 mw on Monday,” a senior official said, poÂinting out that on MonÂday morning, the peak demand met was 10,186 mw and load shedding enforced was 973 mw.
Due to fall in power demand, a Tangedco official said only one hour load shedding was enÂforced in many parts of the city and its suburbs as against proposed two hours.
“If weather continues to remain cool, the power demand will go down further,” the official added.
