850 Cr transmission project by TNEB
The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, which will celebrate its golden jubilee shortly, is formulating a Rs.850-crore transmission project that will befit the occasion.The project will facilitate the flow of power from southern parts of the State to other parts.While more generation projects have been proposed in southern parts, including wind energy projects, the northern and western regions are the centres of load. In the past, wind energy producers blamed the Board for inadequate infrastructure in the transmission network, as they could not generate to the optimal level during the windy season (mid-May to September).Hence, the Board has come up with a plan to form a 400-kv transmission network from Pugalur, near Karur, to Sunguvar Chatram-Kalivaradhapattu in the north.The Institute of Remote Sensing has carried out a survey. Some more details are being gathered. At its next meeting, the Board will clear the project, says a senior official.During the season, 1,900 megawatt is transmitted from the Tirunelveli region and 1,150 MW from the Coimbatore region to other parts of the State.Most of the power transmitted is required in central and northern parts. The Central authorities are also taking steps to link Tirunelveli with Madurai. The project can be completed in three years, the official says.
Even as many parts of the State continue to reel under heat wave, the Board now seems to heave a sigh of relief with the resumption of wind energy production in a big way.At present, around 800 MW is generated through windmills. This can go up to 2,000 MW. The State's installed capacity is 3,456 MW.Wind energy has come in handy at a time when two units of the Tuticorin and North Chennai thermal power stations, each with a capacity of 210 MW, developed snags. The officials are hopeful of restoring normal production of the units on Tuesday.
They have planned to meet the commitment of providing 525 MW to Haryana from June to August under the swapping arrangement.In the last few months, Tamil Nadu drew power from the northern State. In the calculation of the authorities, there will be power surplus to the tune of 300-400 MW in the coming weeks.
