Radhakrishnan appointed TNERC chairperson

CHENNAI: Senior IAS officer Dr J Radhakrishnan has been appointed chairperson of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC), nearly three months after the power regulator became completely defunct for the first time since its constitution in 1999.

The state government also appointed former TNPDCL distribution director AR Mascurnas as member and A Muthusaratha as member (Legal), filling all three statutory posts through an order issued by the Energy Department on Friday.

TNERC had been without any office-bearer since June 25 after chairman R Manivannan resigned. Member (Legal) B Mohan had demitted office on March 9, while member K Venkatesan completed his tenure on June 1.

Manivannan, who remained the lone office-holder from June 2, resigned on June 19 and his resignation was accepted on June 24.

The government had constituted a three-member selection committee on July 1 to fill the vacancies.

The committee, headed by retired Madras High Court judge Justice RMT Teekaa Raman, met on September 15 and recommended panels of two names for each post.

Radhakrishnan, currently additional chief secretary and director of the Anna Administrative Staff College and director general of training, has been appointed chairperson.

TNERC had previously faced periods without the mandatory quorum of two members, but at least one office-holder remained in place on every occasion.

The present vacancy was unprecedented.

The commission regulates electricity tariffs, power procurement and transmission charges, besides framing regulations and adjudicating disputes in the power sector.