In the midst of Tamil Nadu demanding that the Centre allocate the entire power to be generated by the Kudankulam nuclear plant to it, Kerala has staked claim to 500 MW from the project.
In a letter to Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, the Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy, has asked the Centre to provide 500 MW from the KNPP located in Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli district in view of acute power crisis faced by the State, official sources said today.
With the Kudankulam Nuclear Plant's first unit of 1,000 MW capacity all set to commence generation, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ms Jayalalithaa, had written to Dr Singh on April 25 demanding that the entire power produced be given to it.
Refuting reports that Kerala did not want power from Kudankulam, Mr Chandy said a special package has been drawn up to take over land to construct a power transmission line from Kudankulam.
Mr Chandy further said the State was not in a position to draw more power from NTPC's power plant at Kayamkulam as it was costly. In such a condition, due to acute power crisis, Kerala has asked the Centre to provide 500 MW from KNPP, sources, quoting the letter, said.
Mr Chandy wanted the Centre to allocate power from KNPP under ‘unallocated' option, earmarked for States facing power crisis, the sources said.