Transition towards a cleaner, more resilient and sustainable energy,” said L Santhosh, president of TECA.

In addition to strengthening the transmission network and grid infrastructure, timely investments in new power generation projects will be essential to ensure long term energy security, uninterrupted power supply and sustained economic growth, he added.

TECA said the Rooftop solar Subsidy Scheme, to be implemented in convergence with the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, with the proposed subsidy of upto Rs one lakh for domestic consumers to install rooftop solar systems will encourage wider adoption of clean energy, reduce household electricity bills and contribute towards achieving the state’s renewable energy goals.

Recognising that Tamil Nadu’s peak electricity demand is projected to exceed 37,000 MW by 2035-36, the association appreciated the government’s forward looking approach in strengthening the state’s transmission network.

“The proposed Coimbatore-Ariyalur 765 kV transmission line project, strengthening of ultra-high voltage transmission capacity in Chennai and surrounding areas, expediting the phase-II Green Energy Corridor Project, which is vital for evacuating renewable energy generated in Southern Tamil Nadu, implementation of Virudhunagar-Coimbatore 765 kV transmission project and proposal to secure financial assistance for the phase-III Green Energy Corridor Project are welcome initiatives. Also, the proposed establishment of 178 new substations, with the phased replacement of 40,000 ageing distribution transformers will significantly improve system reliability, reduce technical loss and enhance the quality of power supply,” Santhosh said.