NAMAKKAL: Anguished windmill owners have urged Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) to not curtail the transmission grid depending on the demand as it led to losses for them. They also list out issues facing them such as irregular payments, poor infrastructure, line loss and officials seeking bribes to clear the red-tape procedures among others.
Speaking to TNIE, Indian Wind Power Association chairman K Kasthurirangan said, "With over 8,000 windmills instaled in Tirunelveli, Udumalaipettai, Tiruppur, Dindigul, Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari districts, Tamil Nadu has 25 per cent of the country's total installed wind power generation capacity. However, the TANGEDCO has not utilised their 100 per cent capacity."
The going had been made tough for windmill owners despite the winds being good every year, as the TANGEDCO curtailed the grid depending on its demand, he said adding that small companies with a capacity to generate one MW (megawatt) were hit heavily. The requests to the Corporation to procure more wind energy went in vain. Even in the peak season, the public sector company procured only about 50 per cent of the wind energy, while the remaining capacity had been idle, Kasthurirangan said.
He urged the State government to introduce a spot market system on the lines of the share market to facilitate the sale of energy by wind turbine companies. Such a move would prevent line loss, while the TANGEDCO can procure the energy as and when needed, he suggested.
Delay in payment of pending dues has also severely affected the sector, the windmill owners said. Ganesh and R Sasikumar, windmill owners from Tirunelveli, said many run their companies with the support of bank loans. They have to pay EMI every month, they said.
"Compared to previous years, the power grid corporation increased 400 KV and 765 KV substations across the State, which is seen as a welcome move. But it failed to set up more than 110 KV substations and transformers which are useful in rural pockets. Many villages still face power cut problems frequently. So, developing the infrastructure is imperative," they pointed out.
A few windmill owners, on the condition of anonymity, said, "In the past, there was no need to spend money for name transfer. But, these days, the TANGEDCO officials demand lakhs of rupees as bribes. Due to various such issues, many are looking at other States for investment."
"Windmills, which are about 20 years old, in the State with a capacity to generate 1000-1500 MW altogether need repowering. Though the Union government extended their lifetime by five years, lack of grid infrastructure to evacuate the generated energy remains a major concern," the owners said.
A senior TANGEDCO official from Chennai said, "Introducing a spot market system for wind power energy is unfeasible because the companies concerned have to pay high amounts of compensation if they fail to provide power as promised. But, the windmill owners do not accept such terms and conditions." He also said the Power Grid Corporation of India had been requested to increase infrastructures like grids, transmission lines and substations.
On the release of pending payments, the official said the State government received Rs 17,000 crore from the Union government under Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan scheme last year to clear the pending dues of TANGEDCO. "However, the State government has yet to release the funds due to various reasons. The pending payments for wind energy will be cleared soon," he assured.
Windmills in the State generate a maximum amount of energy during the peak windy season between May and September.