TN Govt added 2,792 MW in three years, says electricity minister

Adds that another three projects with total capacity of 3,000 MW will be added soon

The Government of Tamil Nadu has added 2792 Mega Watt capacity in the last three years, while it would add another 3000 MW through three thermal power projects in future, said Natham R Viswanathan, Minister for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise.

Following a review meeting conducted in the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB), Viswanathan said that the government's effort to be self sustainable in electrity is on progress and more power generation capacity and transmission capabilities are to be added in near future.

The Ennore Thermal Power Station expansion (1x660 MW), a project with a cost of Rs 4,956 crore, the Ennore SEZ Thermal Power Plant, consisting of two units of 660 MW capacity for Rs 7,920 crore, and the Rs 10,121 crore Udangudi Thermal Power Project (2x660 MW) are to be added to the current capacity.

"In the three thermal power projects, the State government would add around 3,300 MW," said a government announcement.

Other projects including the Uppur Thermal Power Project (2x800 MW), with cost estimate is Rs 9,600 crore, the Rs 4,800 crore North Chennai Thermal Power Project Stage III (1x800 MW) and the Ennore Thermal Power Station Replacement (1x660 MW), for which the cost is projected at Rs 3,960 crore, are the projects in pipeline.

During the current fiscal year 2014-15, around 1,529 MW more electricity will be added to the existing availability of electricity, said the minister. This include 235 MW from the 2X250 MW facilty coming up in Neyveli. The 2X500 MW power project under the JV of TNEB and NLC is expected to start production during the financial year and this would add around 387 MW to the available power.

Another JV between the TNEB and the National Thermal Power Corporation for 500 MW will start production from this December and this would give another 350 MW. Besides, the 1,000 MW nuclear power project first phase in Kudankulam is also expected to start generation of power, out of which 562 MW would be added to the overall production capacity.

Rs 1,306 crore is being spent on creating infrastructure through substations and transmission lines in various parts of the country for wind energy. Another 230 KW substation at a cost of Rs 425 crore in Guindy, Chennai, another 400 Kw substation for Rs 576 crore near Gummidipundi, which will be completed in December. Another 230 kw capacity for Chennai Metro Rail for Rs 157 crore, which is expected to be operational by end of January, 2015. A 400 KW substation in Solinganallur, for rs 148 crore, is also expected to be ready by June 2015.

In the southern districts, the government is creating substations for solar projects, with a 400 Ks station in Ramanathapuram for Rs 435 crore, another 230 KW substatioh for Rs 47.5 crore and works to acquire the land is in the process of acquisition. Another Rs 1593 crore project in collaboration with the National Renewable Energy Fund and KFW, Germany, for a 400 KW substation and other projects are also on the process, he said.

Natham Viswanathan gets new post in Assembly

Natham Viswanathan has today been appointed as the leader of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, after the previous leader of the assembly O Panneerselvam has become the Cief Minister. This comes in the backdrop of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) supremo J Jayalalithaa was disqualified from the Assembly as she was sentenced for simple imprisonment for four years, by a Bengaluru based Special Court in a disproportionate Asset case.