Power crisis to end by 2013: Jaya

Tamil Nadu is facing a power shortage of around 4,000 Mw

Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa has assured that the power crisis in the state would come to an end by 2013.

Replying to the Opposition during the Zero Hour in the Assembly on Wednesday, she said the crisis could be over even by June next year.

The chief Minister said the DMK government did not enter into CASE-1 bidding for purchase of power from other states and the Centre’s failure to provide power corridor were the cause for the current crisis.

The state is facing a power shortage of around 4,000 Mega watt. The power cut ranges from 2 hours to eight hours.

The chief minister also said the Union government was not supporting the state to address the issue. Several request — including allotment of 1,000 Mw from the Kudankulam Nuclear Power plant, new transmission corridor, allotting the excess power surrendered by the Delhi Government — have not been not addressed.

Besides, she said Coal India was not supplying the required coal for the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board's plants. The Union government was not allowing it to enter into a fuel supply agreement for the upcoming plants of TNEB and the company was supplying only 70 per cent of the requirement to the existing plants.

“The environment ministry is also delaying to clear projects,” she said. The ministry is headed by Jayanthi Natarajan, who hails from Tamil Nadu.

By December, 600 Mw from Mettur and 500 Mw from Vallur would be ready, she informed. By the end of 2013, the state would get around 4,385 Mw from various projects.

In view of the future requirements, the state is planning to implement projects, which can generate around 6,120 Mw, she said.