CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister P Thangamani met the Union Minister for Power Piyush Goyal on Friday, pushing various demands that included the release of `17,000 crore to carry out improvement works in a bid to make Chennai’s infrastructure cyclone and flood resilient, according to a TANGEDCO press release.
The conversion of 230 kV overhead transmission lines to 230 kV underground cables and the conversion of existing Distribution Transformer structures to Ring Main Units (RMUs) in the city were also included in the estimate sought to be given either as grant or as soft loan. The minister also brought up the longstanding demand for allocation of the entire 2000 MW, the total capacity of Unit 3 and Unit 4 of the Kudankulam Nuclear power project, for Tamil Nadu.
As per the existing arrangement, Kerala, Karnataka and Puducherry are also allocated power from the project.
The reason, according to the release, was Tamil Nadu going to ‘extraordinary’ lengths to ensure the smooth commissioning of the power project. Earlier in 2012, the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had sought the allocation due to power shortage in the State.
However, TANGEDCO officials told Express there was no power deficit in the State now with the total installed capacity of 17000 MW and an expected demand of 15000-16000 MW this year.
Turning to the Cheyyur Ultra Mega Power Project, early finalisation of bidding documents with an option of using domestic coal to bring down the cost of power was sought.
On the frequency linked penalty for renewable energy-rich States, the demand was not to penalise non-adherence to the prescribed bandwidth, the release added.