CHENNAI: Now developers will have to earmark space for establishment of sub-stations where the total floor area of the buildings exceed 30,000 square metres or the power load exceeds 5 Mega Volt Amp (MVA).
This comes after Tangedco (Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited) is trying to enforce a rule enacted in this regard on January 29 this year, but not implemented so far.
The amendment was made to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Distribution Code by Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC). As per the amendment, the area earmarked for establishment of sub-station shall be specifically shown in the plan and furnished to the distribution licensee by the developers or owners at the time of applying for temporary service connection for construction purposes.
However, the amendment was never enforced. Now, the Tangeco chairman has written to both Directorate of Town and Country Planning and Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority. The official has urged the two planning bodies to make it mandatory that the space for the sub station is included before the building approval is given for group housing or commercial complex projects that exceeds floor area of 30,000 square metres or power demand exceeds 5MVA.
Meanwhile, an official source said that the DTCP has asked its officials to adhere to the conditions of earmarking of space in the plan while CMDA has yet to decide on it.
The amendment was made since Tangedco was finding it difficult to establish the sub-stations after the completion of the projects by the builders. The builders generally approach Tangedco for obtaining service connection for group housing or commercial complex and come forward to offer lands for establishing sub-station during the last stage of construction. In most of the cases, the lands offered by the developers were found not suitable for establishment of sub-station.
Sources said that usually, a period of two years is required to establish 33/11 KV substation and in such a situation (last stage of construction) Tangedco faces difficulty in extending supply to those projects with the existing electrical infrastructure and forced to compromise on the quality of supply till adequate electrical infrastructure is created.
It is also learnt that due to this, Tangedco is forced to procure land at exorbitant rates in the load centre for establishing the sub-station to cater to such projects.
Official sources said that with earmarking of space in the plan, Tangedco could establish the substation within the premises of the project before the completion of the project.
But developers who are opposing the amendment say that it is not feasible. S Sridharan, CREDAI chairman, Tamil Nadu Chapter, told Express that practically it is not feasible. "Where will be the land for the sub-station in the built up area of 30,000 square metres," he said.
He added that the amendment is not applicable for ongoing projects and anyway, CREDAI is opposing it. "We have represented the government and Tangedco and we will be taking it up with TNERC," said Sridharan.
Similarly, Tangedco has written to Tamil Nadu Housing Board to allot 1050 square metres of land for establishing sub-station at the proposed residential and commercial complex at Ashok Nagar.
According to Tangedco, as per the unapproved construction plan of Housing board, the built up area for the residential complex was around 41,000 square metres as such the plan should make provisions including the sub-station. Housing board sources could not be contacted.