With the Centre citing transmissionconstraints, Tamil Nadu today demanded that the entire powergenerated by Central generating stations totalling 2,830 MW inthe state be allocated to it as an interim measure to tideover the power crisis.
Facing a power deficit of 4,000 MW by Tamil Nadu, ChiefMinister J Jayalalithaa shot off a letter to Prime MinisterManmohan Singh saying she had been requesting for additionalallocation but "to our disappointment", the Centre's responsehas been "totally negative."
The Centre cited transmission constraints "virtuallynegativing" the state request for allocating the powersurrendered by the Delhi Government, she said.
"Therefore, it stands to reason that at least, the entirepower generated by Central Generating Stations in Tamil Naduby the Neyveli Lignite Corporation, the Madras Atomic PowerStation at Kalpakkam and the joint venture unit between NTPCand Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd(TANGEDCO) commissioned recently at Vallur near Chennaitotalling 2830 MW is allocated to Tamil Nadu," she said.
Noting that there were no transmission constraints inthis, she said the power could be allocated as an interimarrangement to meet the huge power deficit and to alleviatethe severe hardship till all the new power projects underconstruction were fully commissioned.
Observing the "extraordinary lengths" to which her government went to ensure the smooth commissioning of theKudankulam Nuclear Power Project, Jayalalithaa said Singh alsoacknowledged the effort in handling the "very complex andlarge scale law and order issues".
"In return, I expect the Government of India to dedicatethe entire power of 2000 MW from this project on successfulcommissioning to the state of Tamil Nadu," she said.
"...this request is not an unreasonable one and notwithout a precedent", the Chief Minister said and pointed outthe first two units of 500 MW each totalling 1000 MW producedby the Central Generating Station at Simhadri in AndhraPradesh has been entirely given to the state.
"I request the Government of India to adopt the sameyardstick to dedicate the entire power produced by theKudankulam Power Project to the state of Tamil Nadu in theinterest of the people of this state suffering from severepower deficit", she added.