Chennai: Tamil Nadu will face a 4.4 per cent average power deficit during 2015-16, according to the annual load generation balance report (LGBR) from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), which functions under the Union ministry of power.The state’s total energy requirement has been pegged at 1,02,653 million units (mu), against the availability of 98,123 mu – with a deficit of 4,530 mu.
The state’s predicted energy deficit has come down from 26.5 per cent in 2013-14 to 4.4 per cent in 2015-16 indicating improved power supply.
The CEA report says the average energy availability of the state will be more than the demand in the months of August, September and October.However, there will be a deficit in supply during the rest of the months of the current fiscal. The report predicted a maximum deficit in March next year when the energy requirement will be 9,217 mu, against a supply of 7,844 mu. The report also anticipated a peak load shortage of 5.4 per cent with the demand touching 14,489 MW as against the availability of 13,710 MW.
The peak power deficit is the shortage in electricity supply when demand is at its highest.According to the report, the peak shortage will be 25 per cent in November, 22 per cent in October and 21.4 per cent in March next year. The energy availability in each state has been worked out on the basis of generation from plants owned by the state, the share of power from common projects, allocation of firm power from Central generating stations and allocation from unallocated quota of power from Central generating stations, as per the current arrangements.
A senior Tangedco official said the power supply position in the state is better than what was forecast in the CEA’s report. “At present, there is no load shedding on domestic consumers and, moreover, the power demand is less due to widespread rains,” the official said, adding that even in the post-wind power season, the power situation will be better as the state will get contracted power from the northern region.
