CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) has suspended a superintending engineer and an executive engineer over alleged irregularities in the processing of solar power applications in the Non-Conventional Energy Sources (NCES) wing at Udumalpet.
The suspended officials have been identified as superintending engineer RG Prasath and executive engineer K Radhakrishnan. A senior TNEB official confirmed the action and said departmental inquiries are under way.
According to official sources, the NCES wing, functioning in Udumalpet and Tirunelveli, were dismantled a few days ago as part of an administrative restructuring exercise. The utility is also planning to shift several officials attached to these wings to Chennai.
Sources said the action followed a review of solar power applications and tender-related matters by Electricity Minister CTR Nirmal Kumar. The minister had recently ordered a detailed examination of tenders floated during the previous DMK regime and the handling of renewable energy projects.
The officials alleged several solar power applications in the Udumalpet NCES wing were kept pending for long periods and that unauthorised fund transfers had also taken place.
“The minister reviewed the status of tenders and solar applications. During the scrutiny, delays in processing applications and certain financial irregularities came to light. Consequently, disciplinary action was initiated against the officials concerned,” a senior official said. The latest action comes amid a wider crackdown on alleged administrative lapses within the power utility.