CHENNAI: The third state Cabinet meeting, headed by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, is scheduled to be held at the Secretariat on Thursday. The meeting is likely to give approval to the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) policy and industrial proposals, apart from making administrative decisions on certain issues.
The meeting assumes significance since it is being held when the northeast monsoon is intensifying in Tamil Nadu and steps are being taken to address power outages.
A senior TNEB official told TNIE that the BESS policy aims to promote facilities to store electricity generated from renewable energy sources and supply it when required. These facilities can help manage fluctuations in renewable energy generation and improve reliability of power supply.
The policy was drafted with the help of private consultancy firm Ernst & Young. The utility has made several changes to the draft over the past five months after studying similar policies adopted by major states such as Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Although the utility has proposed the policy for Cabinet approval, its clearance is yet to be confirmed. Another senior official said several meetings had been held with solar and wind power developers to discuss the policy and its implementation. Applications for new wind and solar power projects will be facilitated once the policy comes into effect, he added.
Tamil Nadu has been expanding its renewable energy capacity. However, the growing share of solar and wind power in the electricity mix has increased the need for storage facilities as generation depends on weather conditions.
K Venkatachalam, chief advisor and CEO of Renewable Energy Producers Association, has welcomed the state government’s plan to introduce the policy but called for certain changes before it is implemented.
Considering the high cost of battery storage systems and limited availability of such infrastructure in India, he suggested allowing duty-free imports of BESS equipment in consultation with the union government.
Venkatachalam also suggested exempting solar power generators with a capacity of 5 MW or less from mandatory BESS requirements. He said electricity generated by these smaller projects during the day would generally be consumed during the same period, leaving little scope for storage.
The meeting is also likely to discuss the law and order situation in the state, especially in the backdrop of the jailbreak in Theni district. Establishment of a new secretariat at Foreshore Estate, which faced stiff opposition, is among the issues likely to be taken up.