CHENNAI: In a candid admission, State electricity minister Arcot N Veerasamy said on Wednesday that he was not satisfied with the performance of Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB).
Addressing a workshop on ‘Protection of consumers under the Electricity Act, 2003,’ Veerasamy said he was not satisfied with the performance of the TNEB as there is shortage of power in the State.
Referring to the remark of a consumer activist in the function that TNEB was among the best administered boards in India, he said he would be happy only when the Board produced surplus energy and sold it to other states, “Probably the activist made the remark in comparison with other States like Delhi, Maharashtra and Karnataka where there is power cut between 8 to 12 hours a day,” he remarked.
Citing the example of China which produces 8 lakh MW of power, Veerasamy expressed concern that Centre did not concentrate on producing surplus power and said, as per the 12th five year plan stipulations it may be difficult to manage demand if the production is not increased to atleast 2 lakh MW.
According to him, through new initiatives like the 1200 MW power plant in North Chennai, 1000 MW unit in Tuticorin besides other places, the State would produce not less than 6000 MW of power before 2012 and TN would be in a position to export 3000 MW.“On the day when this happens I shall be the happiest man in Tamil Nadu.” On complaints about inadequate transformers and substations, he said the chief minister had given the go ahead for setting up 90 substations a year, “But, the problem is the non-availability of land and that is the reason why there is delay.” Consumer centric measures such as instructions to officials to give domestic connections within 24 hours, within 15 days for small scale units and within a month for high tension lines have been given, according to him, “If this is not done the concerned official will be suspended.
Currently, the shortage of power is also a reason for delay in giving new connections and this will be corrected.” Later speaking to mediapersons, Veerasamy warned of stern action against errant house owners who charge more than TNEB’s tariff from tenants. He also said a proposal to collect payment for power bills even on Sundays will be introduced soon in Chennai and that TNEB will be unbundled fully before December 2009. While one company would be into distribution and generation another will look exclusively looking into transmission.
Several other speakers at the workshop said the Electricity Act 2003 gave scope for effective redressal of consumer grievances. However they observed that consumer awareness was woefully lacking and innovative steps should be taken to address this issue.