TN Govt pares non-peak hour power cut by 50%

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, J. Jayalalithaa, has ordered a 50 per cent reduction in non-peak hour power cut with effect from tomorrow for high tension industrial and commercial consumers.

However, the restriction during peak hours (6 p.m. to 10 p.m.) during which the HT industrial and commercial consumers are allowed to consume grid power up to 10 per cent of their requirement would continue to be in force.

In a press release, the State Government said that at a review meeting of the power situation in the State held under the leadership of the Chief Minister on September 26, it was pointed out by the Electricity Board officials that after the monsoon, the hydro power stations had increased power generation.

Moreover, the 600 MW Mettur Thermal Power Station, the Vallur Thermal Power Plant (1,000 MW) and the 1,200 MW North Madras Power Plant have commenced power generation.

The industries had also welcomed the relaxation from August 14 to September 30 in the restrictions imposed on HT industrial and commercial consumers for the first time in five years, it was pointed out.

Jayalalithaa, taking into account the power situation prevailing now in the state and keeping in view the state’s industrial development, ordered reduction in the power cut during non-peak hours from 40 per cent to 20 per cent to HT industrial and commercial consumers from tomorrow (October 1), the release said.

However, during the peak hours (6 p.m.-10 p.m.), the 10 per cent cap on consumption of grid power by these consumers would continue so that household power supply was unaffected.

Speaking to Business Line , D. Balasundaram, President, Tamilnadu Electricity Consumers Association (TECA), Coimbatore, said that the State Government had withdrawn temporarily the non-peak hour power cut of 40 per cent from August 14 to September 30, apparently because of the availability of wind power.

The 40 per cent power cut during non-peak hours that was in force before August 14 has now been halved to 20 per cent. The state had been without any power cut during non-peak hours from August 14 till date.

But he did not expect the industrialists in the state to rush to enhance production or manpower because of continued economic recession and as the quality of power supplied was not reassuring. The industries had to grapple with problems like poor voltage, unscheduled power cut etc. Apparently, there may not have been any demand surge during the 45 days when the power cut was lifted during non-peak hours because of which the decision to reduce power cut might have been taken.

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