Chennai: In yet another split order, Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission members S. Nagalsamy and G. Rajagopal has differed on backing down of windmills by Tangedco and must run status for wind energy.In his order, Mr Nagalsamy said that the Tangedco’s State Load Despatch Centre should observe the must run status provided to wind energy generators by the grid code, in letter and spirit. He also asked the state government to notify the SLDC as a government company to avoid giving room for any biased functioning.
Various wind power generators, Indian Wind Power Association and Tamil Nadu Spinning Mills Association moved the TNERC against the Tangedco’s forcible backing down of wind mills during the peak wind season between June and September resulting in severe financial losses in the last three years. Mr Nagalsamy said that wind power enjoys third priority in the merit order after the run of river based hydro station and reservoir based hydro. “Before curtailing wind power generation, the SLDC should have exhausted all other possible curtailments of power injected into the grid from other sources as per law,” he noted.
Dismissing Tangedco’s argument of facing difficulties in absorbing the large infirm wind power, Mr Nagalsamy said that the Tangedco has evacuated 2000 million units less in 2013-14 when compared to 2012-13 even though the frequency band that hinders full evacuation of wind power were in force from April 2, 2012 to February 2, 2014. “The total consumption in the State had increased by 7,000 MUs in 2013-14 as per the latest Tariff Order but the absorption from wind energy had decreased by 2,000 MUs in 2013-14. This question and the above facts run counter to the argument of the respondents that the wind power backing down was done only to maintain the frequency restriction.”
Mr Rajagopal said that the backing down instructions issued by the SLDC to the wind generators is in line with the Electricity act 2013. He also said that issued guidelines to be followed by the both Tangedco and wind power generators to ensure maximum utilisation of wind energy.
