Five private firms to set up thermal power plants in TN

In a bid to address acute power shortage, the Tamil Nadu government has decided to encourage the private sector to set up units in the state and as part of this, five private companies have "cleared formalities" to establish thermal power plants.

Electricity Minister R Viswanathan had recently announced that the private sector would be encouraged to set up units for active power generation to address the growing demand-supply gap.

"Five companies have cleared the formalities to set up their units in Tamil Nadu", a Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation official said.

Declining to name the companies, he told PTI they would generate power along with the ongoing projects in Tamil Nadu.

Through the five units, over 3,000 MW would be generated in the next one year as announced by Finance Minister O Panneerselvam during the budget session in the state assembly.

Panneerselvam had said the state was facing a power shortage of 2500-3500 MW, with present installed capacity being 10,237 MW and average availability 8000 MW.

The demand ranges from 10,500 to 11,500 MW.

While actual capacity addition was only 206 MW in the last five years of the DMK regime, the AIADMK government would add about 3280 MW in 2011-12.

Viswanathan said the Government would extend support to private players in setting up thermal power plants in Tamil Nadu.

Asked about it, a TNEB official said some places where private power plants are expected to be set up are Sirgazhi, Tuticorin, Villupuram and Dharmapuri.

Referring to the ongoing North Chennai Thermal Power Station (stage two) and Vallur power project, Viswanathan urged the stakeholders to speed up the work so that the projects can be implemented without any delay.

While North Chennai Thermal Power Station (Stage two) is expected to be completed by January, the Vallur power project -- a joint venture of Tamil Nadu Electricity Board and National Thermal Power Corporation-- would be completed by December.

On power theft, the official said TANGEDCO was forming 80 squads, comprising five ex-servicemen each, to detect it.