The Hindu Business Line : SIEMA wants curbs on power use to go

Coimbatore, Nov. 24 Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) should withdraw power cuts as it has imposed a 40 per cent cut on maximum demand and restricted industries from drawing power from the grid between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., according to Southern India Engineering Manufacturers’ Association (SIEMA) here.

The association also wants industries to be permitted to operate captive power plants to capacity.

‘Cut power cuts’

Mr Jayakumar Ramdass, President, SIEMA, in a representation to Mr S. Kabilan, Chairman, Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC), said TNEB had enforced power cuts from November 1 “in a haphazard way without consulting the industry”, which had compounded the problems faced by the industries.

As the board has imposed the a 40 per cent cut on maximum demand and restricted the time to draw power, the industries body felt that there was no need for energy cuts. Base demand should be calculated on the basis of the highest demand registered between October 2007 and September 2008 or sanctioned power, whichever was higher.

Demand quota

Mr Ramdass wanted TNERC to direct TNEB to permit 5 per cent tolerance above the demand quota for excess drawing of power for which additional charges may be collected. This was because of the practical difficulty in meeting the exact demand quota.

He wanted the board to consider reduction in maximum demand charges for peak hours (6-10 p.m.) and recalled that the board had in a circular indicated that it was willing to do so.

Mr Ramdass said that the overall power consumption by high tension (HT) consumers during the coming six months would fall by 45-50 per cent. TNERC should ask TNEB to consider reducing the current consumption deposit and refund the excess amount to HT consumers, he added.

More Stories on : Power | Industry Associations | Tamil Nadu

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