Ensure uninterrupted power supply during summer: TN Chief Secy Meena to officials

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena on Friday held a detailed review meeting with officials of the State Electricity Department on ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply in the State during the summer.

The chief secretary is said to have taken stock of the power supply-demand mismatch and the solution to plug the supply shortfall. The top bureaucrat is learnt to have discussed the possibility of purchasing power from private suppliers and also the central grid to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply in Tamil Nadu, which has been reeling under intense heatwave since last week.

The soaring mercury levels has forced people to increase the usage of fans, coolers and air conditioners to beat the heat, which has spiked energy consumption in Tamil Nadu to more than 20,000MW per day in April.

Tangedco chairman and managing director Rajesh Lakhoni, officials of Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC), and officials from the Tamil Nadu Energy Department attended the meeting which took place a day after Chief Minister MK Stalin issued a detailed advisory to officials and the people of Tamil Nadu on handling the heatwave conditions that is only getting worse each passing day.

With wind energy generation expected to pick up in the State only by late May, the Energy Department has taken some comfort in the surge in solar energy generation. However, the department has been found wanting on meeting the summer demand owing to increased domestic consumption besides the usual industrial demand in the State.