The Hindu Business Line : TNEB entering tie-ups for captive coal mines

Power tower
Maximum peak demand during 2008-09 was
9,576 MW
In the current year, it
is estimated around
11,675 MW.
Renewable sources capacity is 4,310 MW

Our Bureau

Chennai, June 17

The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board is getting into joint ventures for captive coal mining to enable assured supply of coal for power generation.

The policy note of the energy department for 2009-10 tabled in the Assembly states that the electricity board faces a shortfall of about two million tonnes of coal on an annual requirement of 15 million tonnes to fuel four thermal plants that generate 2,970 MW. The TNEB manages to bridge the shortfall through imports.

But as a permanent measure, the TNEB has decided to go in for captive coal mines. It has been allotted two coal blocks - Gare Pelma Sector II coal block in Chhattisgarh along with Maharashtra State Mining Corporation; and the Mandakini B coal block in Orissa along with the State mining corporations of Orissa, Assam and Meghalaya.

The board’s share would be 8.5 million tonnes of coal a year with five million tonnes from the Chhattisgarh mines and the balance from Orissa.

The joint venture Maha Tamil Collieries Ltd with Maharashtra State Mining Corporation is in the pipeline. The other joint venture with the mining corporations of Orissa, Assam and Meghalaya has been formed and further developments are being followed up.

According to the policy note, the 17th electrical power survey by the Central Electricity Authority projects a shortfall of 1,801 MW in 2009-10 which is expected to increase to 2,800 MW by 2013-14. The State Government hopes to manage the shortfall through renewable energy and other sources.

Moving the demand for grants to the Energy Department, the Electricity Minister, Mr Arcot N. Veeraswami, said that the total installed generation capacity in the State is 15,100 MW including 4,886 MW from renewable sources.

Wind mills constitute the major portion of power from renewable sources with an established capacity of 4,310 MW; cogeneration plants 466 MW and biomass plants 109 MW. The maximum peak demand during 2008-09 was 9,576 MW and maximum daily consumption 214 million units in May 2009. During the current year the demand is estimated at about 11,675 MW.

The Minister said that the growth in power demand was fuelled by the growth in industrial investment in the State and the Government’s concerted efforts to enhance power supply to all segments of the society.

On power sector reforms, the Minister said that it has become an imperative following the Electricity Act 2003. However, the State Government while unbundling the TNEB to float a separate transmission corporation and a generation and distribution corporation was not considering privatisation.

Both these entities would come under TNEB Ltd and all these companies would be fully owned by the Government.

More Stories on : Power | Coal | Tamil Nadu

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