Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Private power producers won’t be allowed to gain undue advantage

CHENNAI: The government will not allow any private power producer to gain undue advantage from the problem of power shortage, Tamil Nadu Electricity Board chairman C.P. Singh said here on Wednesday.

Responding to queries and concerns raised by a cross-section of industry at an inter-active session organised by the Tamil Nadu State Council of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), he explained the position of the government on third-party sale.

There would not be any problem so long as the private producers fulfilled their current commitments [to provide power to constituents of captive groups] and wanted to supply surplus power, if any, to new customers. But, if they wanted to supply to new clients at the cost of the existing ones, that would not be permitted.

Mr. Singh reiterated that the Board would redress all genuine grievances of industry.

As for the State fully getting its share from the power stations coming under the control of the Centre, Mr. Singh said the Union Power Minister had written to the Chief Minister that the quantum of power supplied from the stations would be stepped up from January.

On allowing sugar cogeneration plants to use coal during off season and determining the procurement price, he said issues concerning cane farmers had to be taken into account before deciding on it. The government was aware of these problems and was taking steps to resolve them.

The problem being faced by the State was more complicated than what was being experienced by Uttar Pradesh or Bihar and Karnataka, Mr.Singh said. The administration had to keep in mind the interests of other consumer groups while trying to tackle power shortage.

K. Gopalakrishnan, general secretary, Tamil Nadu Small and Tiny Industries Association, regretted that the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission did not give due attention to the difficulties faced by industry.

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