Wind power output plunges
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu could well face a power crisis if the Electricity Board, struggling hard to cope with dwindling resources, fails to reduce the widening gap between demand and supply in the state. There is every chance that this winter could be harrowing and sweaty just like last year.
On Thursday, state electricity minister Arcot N Veeraswami is said to have talked to Union power minister Sushilkumar Shinde, demanding allocation of additional power from the Central pool, as the 100 MW already supplied for a month had stopped early this week.
Compounding the problem, the contribution from non-conventional energy sources (wind mills) dropped below 1,000 MW this week. The minimum load to the grid from wind turbines during the morning hours was below 100 MW, officials said. But, on Thursday morning, it was a mere 41 MW. While it improved to about 1,000 MW in the evening, the peak hour demand was also quite high, officials said.
Last year, the wind turbines supplied over 1,000 MW till the first week of October. Officials expect a similar situation this year as well. “As the (northeast) monsoon is unlikely to improve, hydel power generation could be affected ,” said a senior official.
Sources said the state was considering purchasing power from other states. During winter, the northern states are unlikely to sell power, they said. An IAS officer, Shiv Das Meena, has been appointed to manage the power crisis.
With the state also facing a fuel shortage, the TNEB has asked companies with generators to stop drawing from the grid and take care of their power needs by running gensets.
At present, the TNEB is falling short by more than 1,000 MW despite load shedding. Load shedding at lightning peak was 1,782 MW. In several places, power cuts last nearly four hours, TNEB officials said. Last winter, Chennai escaped load shedding but the districts continued to face “unofficial’ ‘ power cuts. As the power cuts are “official’ ‘ now, Chennai is likely to be affected.
LIGHTS OUT
The state has stopped receiving 100 MW power from the central pool
Last year, the wind turbines supplied over 1,000 MW till the first week of October
The state is considering purchasing power from other states
The contribution of non conventional energy fell below 1,000 MW early this week
B Aravind Kumar,TNN
29 August 2008
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