CHENNAI: The state’s electricity demand during evening peak hours stands at 18,600 MW in February, while the available supply is only 15,646 MW, a deficit of 2,954 MW, as per the Central Electricity report.
The shortfall is expected to touch 3,812 MW in March and 4,697 MW in April, and the deficit will continue till December. However, the report said the state will have surplus power during solar hours till June.
Officials from the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) cited lack of own power generation as the main reason for the deficit. While the average electricity demand is 15,000 MW daily, TNEB generates only 4,000 MW, relying on private players for the remaining supply.
The Southern Region Power Committee predicted the state’s peak power demand to be 22,150 MW this year while last year’s power demand stood at 20,830 MW on May 2, 2024.
Tamil Nadu’s electricity demand is steadily increasing due to population growth and expanding industries, a senior official told TNIE.
The state power utility caters to nearly 3.5 crore consumers, including 2.5 crore domestic users, 40 lakh commercial consumers, and 25 lakh agricultural connections.
The official said while solar and wind energy help meet the state’s electricity needs, steps are being taken to boost thermal power generation. “We are planning to start commercial operations of the North Chennai Stage III 800 MW thermal power station before April to bridge the gap,” he added.
To address the summer power demand, another official highlighted private power purchases and swap arrangements. “TNEB is making short-term arrangements, planning to procure around 4,000 MW between March and May to handle the expected power deficit,” he explained.
He further elaborated on the swap power arrangement, where Tamil Nadu exchanges electricity with Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan during peak hours without monetary transactions.
The official assured with these measures in place, Tamil Nadu would manage the summer demand in 2025 without any power cuts.
However, the official also expressed concern over the rising cost of electricity. At times, the utility has to procure power at `20 per unit, while the cost of its own generation is below `6 per unit. It is expected that the price will go up during summer.