CHENNAI: Factoring in the growing population and industrialisation, Tangedco predicts that the state’s power demand may go up to 19,000 megawatts (MW) during the summer. The standing record is 17,563 MW recorded on April 29 last year. On the same day, the maximum daily consumption of 388.078 million units was recorded. As of Monday, the state’s power demand stood at 14,252 MW.
A senior Tangedco official told TNIE that as of March 31, 2022, there were 3.24 crore service connections in the state (8 lakh higher than the previous financial year of 2020–21). In the current financial year, Tangedco added around 50,000 agriculture power connections and at least 5 lakh domestic connections to the grid. Explaining how the situation could be tackled and power can be supplied without interruptions during the summer, another official said the state-owned power utility could procure power through a short-term purchase agreement.
Tangedco has already received approval from the electricity regulatory commission for purchasing 2,000 MW. Based on the requirement, the utility can seek approval for more load. Besides, the North Chennai Thermal Power Plant’s Stage III, with a generation capacity of 800 MW, will commence its operation in March.