Chennai, Oct 7:
The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board has invited tenders to procure 4,500 MW of electricity from the open market to address the power shortage in the State. The procurement is scheduled from October 12 to 31.
Electricity Minister C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar said the State was not receiving 3,000 MW of power that was expected from the Central pool. The decision to procure 4,500 MW from the open market was taken to ensure that there would be no shortage during peak hours, he said.
The Minister said the demand for electricity during peak hours was currently about 3,000 MW higher than last year. He added that power demand was expected to rise further during March, April and May next year and remain high until June and July, prompting the government to make arrangements in advance.
Meanwhile, the Minister also rejected allegations that permission had been denied for the nurses’ protest and questioned the role of former DMK Ministers in the agitation.
The move comes amid a broader rise in Tamil Nadu’s peak power demand. Officials have attributed the recent pressure on the grid partly to higher cooling demand and reduced wind generation, while the government has said it is taking steps to ensure uninterrupted supply.