CHENNAI: Amid growing power demand across the country, Electricity Minister C T R Nirmal Kumar on Sunday questioned the union government’s national-level power demand forecasting and resource adequacy planning, saying inadequate planning could force states to procure electricity at exorbitant rates.
In a post on X, the minister referred to a news report stating that Rajasthan was spending Rs 46.09 on per unit of electricity. “Individual states have limited visibility of nationwide power demand and generation availability, unlike central power-sector institutions,” he said.
The minister further said the union power ministry should examine why such demand-supply gaps had not been anticipated and addressed in advance.
“At least now, the union power ministry should plan for national-level forecasting and better coordination with states, which could help them avoid procuring power at such prohibitively high rates in the future,” he added.
The minister’s remarks come amid criticism by opposition parties over the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited’s (TNPDCL) recent agreements to procure electricity at Rs 35 per unit.