Chennai: The Opposition DMK’s bid to take on the ruling AIADMK on the power scenario backfired when Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa pinned it down saying a slew of projects initiated by her government ensured a turnaround in power generation leading to an addition of 8,432.5 MW to the state grid.
“Damage the minority DMK had done to the power sector during its rule was rectified by us. We made Tamil Nadu, which was swathed in darkness during the DMK rule, to shine,” she said lashing out at the Opposition DMK for accusing her government of trying to create an illusion that TN is a power surplus state.
Intervening the speech of DMK legislator, B. Ranganathan in the Assembly House on Wednesday, she said the slew of projects initiated by her government had ensured a turnaround in power generation by adding 8,432.5 MW to the state grid.
Tamil Nadu became a power surplus state during her tenure from being a power deficit state during the DMK rule. “During 2001–06 of my rule, we started about 3,136 MW power projects. But due to their selfish reasons, the DMK did not complete the projects. In 2011, we completed several projects and obtained power from other states and even paved way for ensuring power transmission corridors from Sholapur in Maharashtra.
Referring to the load generation balance report 2016-17, of the Central Electricity Authority, Ms Jayalalithaa said that the state would be power surplus in 2016-17 with a surplus of 11,649 million units. The daily average power supply which was 200 MUs in 2010 has increased to 300 MUs in 2016. Also, Tamil Nadu has met an all time high peak demand of 15,343 MW and an all time high energy consumption of 345.617 MUs on April 29, 2016.
When Ranganathan persisted, she reminded him that he should have at least read the policy note on energy department. “He seems to be like a football player who does not know how to play the game ends up striking same side goal,” the Chief Minister.
“As mistakes are on your side and achievements are in our side and the minister (electricity minister P. Thangamani) was giving a befitting reply, the Opposition members become speechless. Hence, as expected they are staging walkout now,” she added.
