TN to lift power supply restrictions

The move will be effective June 1

Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday asked the state electricity Board to withdraw power supply restrictions with effect from June 1. The order comes against the backdrop of wind season, which starts from next month and the state’s decision to buy power from the open market.

Claiming that for the past five days there had been no power cuts in the state, Jayalalithaa, in a statement, said the demand for the electricity was 12,000 Megawatt, while the supply was only 8,000 Mw.

In the last three years, the government had taken steps to add 2,500 Mw. To meet the balance requirement, it had signed power purchase agreements to procure both on short- and long-term basis. Through the short-term agreement,  500 Mw was being procured and long-term agreements were signed to procure around 3,300 Mw.

The supply will start from August, the release said, adding from June the wind season would also start and ease the power situation further. While households were facing a power cut of 2-6 hours in various parts of the state during peak hours, high-tension and commercial units were facing 20 per cent power restrictions.