CHENNAI: Electricity minister V Senthil Balaji said Tangedco and Tantransco were able to save Rs 1,090 crore in 2022-23 by implementing cost-cutting measures. “This included reducing the operation and maintenance costs in thermal stations, coal handling charges, loan interest rates, and through the sale of fly ash and power swapping arrangements. These savings were achieved through consistent efforts to reduce costs,” he said.
During the assembly session’s debate on demand, the minister also added Tangedco had taken various progressive measures to improve the sustained utilisation of fly ash by awarding long-term contracts and realized revenue of Rs 190.80 crore which is 105% more than the revenue achieved in the last financial year 2020-21.
“Through the swap arrangements (exchange power between states), Tangedco tied up with Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to meet the morning and evening peak demand and avoided expenditure on peak hour purchase at a cost of Rs 10 per unit” the minister said.
Senthil Balaji also highlighted that the power utility has been continuously incurring revenue losses mainly due to the gap between average revenue realization and the average cost of supply. As on March 31, 2023, Tangedco’s outstanding loans stood at Rs 1.44 lakh crore, and Tantransco’s outstanding was Rs 24,211.64 crore. To improve the financial position of the power utility, the state government is continuously providing financial assistance in the form of equity share capital, tariff subsidy, grants towards funding of loss, and so on, the minister added.
In the agricultural sector, the minister revealed within two years, the state government provided 1.50 lakh free power connections to farmers benefitting 2,99,173 acres of land across the state. In the current financial year (2023-24), a total of 50,000 connections are to be provided additionally.
The minister also assured the assembly that wage revisions for the power utility employees will be settled, and smart meters will be installed for all consumers as early as possible. For this, the detailed project report was in progress, and the tender would soon be floated.
Record: TN consumes 398mn units power in a day
Chennai: The state’s daily power consumption hit a record high, reaching 397.785 million units on Tuesday. Electricity Minister, V Senthil Balaji, confirmed the milestone via a tweet, stating there were no power outages reported throughout the state on Tuesday. The earlier high was 388.078 million units, recorded on April 29, 2022. A senior official from the Tangedco said they had anticipated a gradual increase in power demand during the summer months. “Necessary steps were already taken to meet the demand,” he added.
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