Tamil Nadu wants Rs 17,000 crore for power upgrade

Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister P Thangamani today urged Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal to release Rs 17,000 crores to enhance power infrastructure in the cyclone-prone state.
"Either as grant or as soft loan, Rs 17,000 crores have been sought for taking up works such as conversion of 230 KV transmission overhead lines into 230 KV underground cables," said a release.
Conversion of overhead lines into underground cables in the limits of Greater Corporation of Chennai are also included in the list.
In the meeting with the union minister at Parliament House, the state minister also sought Rs 1,093.27 crores for carrying out restoration works to electrical infrastructure that was damaged in the Vardah cyclone.

With respect to Cheyyur Ultra Mega Power Project, Thangamani sought early finalising of bidding documents with an option to use domestic coal so that cost of the power be brought down.
Other demands included, allocation of entire power 2,000 MW generated out of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4 to Tamil Nadu.
"Considering the extent to which the state government went to ensure the smooth commissioning of the atomic power project at Kudankulam, including unit 3 and 4, we requested the minister to allocate entire power generated to TN," said Thangamani in a release.
CMD of TANGEDCO M Saikumar was also present in the meeting.